Shadows on my Wall
by Daddy's Little Rabbit
Summary: After returning from taking pictures, Peanut finds himself feeling more drained than before. Nightmares become a normal thing, along with figures moving in his room at night. Desperate to get his life back to normal, he finds himself seeking help outside of the clique and getting advice from a surprising source. Slight Johnny/Peanut if you squint really hard.
1. Prologue

**~Prologue~**

Peanut grumbled softly to himself, fiddling with the camera in his hands. Photography wasn't exactly his favorite subject, especially because none of his friends shared the same period as him, but he supposed it was better than wasting his time in math class or biology. Too bad none of the guys was with him. This project would've went a lot smoother than him just being alone.

Ms. Phillips had gave every student a location to go take pictures in, and the cemetery was definitely the last location on his list. That place always did give him the creeps, even if he would never voice his opinion about it. Hell, he even considered skipping that spot since he was already getting a bad feeling by just thinking of it. But, he knew he'd never hear the end of it from Johnny, who was constantly on his back every second trying to make sure he was doing well. Honestly, the senior was on everyone's back since he'd be graduating this year and he wanted to leave them knowing they wouldn't be failing. Everyone would graduate on time, he had said, sounding like a mother. Sometimes he did resemble a parental figure, caring for the clique so much as he did.

The cemetery is eerily quiet when Peanut walks through the gates, looking around for something for photograph. He probably should've just taken a picture of the entrance and called it a day. But before he can go along with his new plan, a tombstone catches his eye. He has no idea why, but it sticks out so perfectly under a little tree. Slowly, he walks over. He can't read the name of who it belonged to, but he could tell no one had visited in quite a while. It wasn't taken care of like the other graves, and there was a lack of flowers. He stepped forward, going to brush away the dirt and some petals that had gathered up. After making sure it looked halfway decent, he snapped a picture, looking at his camera. It didn't look too bad, but he did frown. Leaving it dirty probably would've added more to the picture. Oh well. Ms. Phillips wanted a picture of the cemetery and she was getting one.

Walking out the gates, Peanut shivers as the temperature feels like it drops a good 10 degrees. Grumbling more to himself, he pulls his jacket close to himself making sure the camera is securely strapped around his neck. Lord knows he didn't want to spend money buying a new camera just to replace one that had fallen. On the way back to the school, Peanut noticed the odd looks people gave him. Well, he was the only one who looked freezing. Maybe he was getting sick?

He notices that it's no warmer inside the school and he's quick to rush up the stairs, just wanting to drop off his camera and go back to his friends or go back to his room and curl up under the covers for a nap. He pushes open the door, being greeted by his teacher.

"Larry! You're finally back!" She walks towards him, taking the camera and looking at the pictures he had taken.

"Finally?" he repeats, now noticing that he's the only student in the class.

"Yes," She takes a glance at him. "There's only a couple minutes left of class. I honestly thought you had just taken the camera and wasn't coming back."

"Gee, thanks," He stands there a bit offended, but he wouldn't be surprised if anyone had told him that someone once walked out with a camera and never came back. Though, Ms. Phillips does sound pleased with his pictures.

"Oh, this one is amazing," she starts, going to turn the camera around so he can see it. It's the cemetery one. "I just wish your shadow wasn't in the picture."

"I don't even remember seeing my shadow..." Peanut gently takes the camera. Sure enough, there's a dark patch over the damn tombstone. He groans. Of course, the best photo he had taken had something wrong with it.

"It's still very well done, Larry," she tells him, taking the camera back. "If being a mechanic doesn't work, I'd say you'd have a very good chance in photography."

"Thank you, miss," With a small goodbye, Peanut leaves the room, rubbing his face. Oh well. At least he got the class over with. He was actually surprised at how long it had taken him to get back to school.

"Peanut!" The familiar voice makes him smile. Ricky runs up, patting his shoulder. "Hey, man! You're out late."

"Yeah. Just turned in my camera," he tells him. There's a small chuckle.

"I haven't even been to photography in the past week," he confesses. It wasn't a surprise. Ricky had been failing photography, and the clique had just assumed he had lied about going to class. Either that, or he just spent his time walking around. Johnny had told him to go to class, along with Lucky, but he always brushed him off.

"It's easy," He just nods as a reply before stopping Peanut, inspecting his face.

"You sick?" he asks, feeling his forehead. "You look really pale."

"I do?" He feels his face for himself. Neither of them feel a fever. "Maybe I am. It does really feel really cold."

"Well, c'mon, "hero". Let's get you back to your room," He pats his shoulder once more, walking with him back to the dorm. Looks like he would be getting that nap he had thought about.


	2. I

**~I~**

By the time Ricky drags the half asleep junior back to the dorm, clouds have rolled in and the wind's picked up. Great. Just what Peanut needed while he was sick. Ricky wonders how he ended up like this. He was so bright this morning, cracking jokes and being energetic in the history class they had this morning. And now he was just so bleak looking.

Pushing open the doors to the dorm, Ricky shoves their way past Bucky then Damon, who he makes a comment to about missing his shower with Ted before entering Peanut's room. He knew he'd be in for it when he left, but to hell with that jock.

"What's with him?" Lefty's voice is nothing but concern when they walk in, Ricky letting go of his friend and having Peanut practically collapse on the bed.

"He's sick," he tells him nonchalantly, "Probably caught something when he went outside for photography."

There's no reply. Lefty had been Peanut's roommate when he arrived a year back, seeing as his previous roommate, Troy, had irritated him so much with his babbling and threats that Peanut continuously fought him until Dr. Crabblesnitch had to change who he stayed with. In walked Lefty, a freshman who showed potential in shop class. Peanut had worked with him the most, trying to get to know him. When he showed an interest in bikes, he had taught him how to fix them, seeing as back then they had shop together. With Peanut's help, he got the hang of everything, and even excelled. And though he's young, Lucky will occasionally have him work on the cars with him, saying it will help in the long run. He would always ask Peanut for advice on some things with the cars, though, saying he felt more confident asking him rather than the other junior. It was sweet, really.

Ricky goes to sit by Peanut, watching him clumsily kicking off his shoes. He looks over at Lefty, who's back to scribbling down something on a piece of paper.

"Whatcha got there?" he asks, catching his attention as he reaches to the end of the bed to grab the blanket for his friend.

"Math," he grumbles, "I don't see what I'm ever gonna use this for!"

"Heh. You never know," He lays back, staring at the ceiling. "Well, I know Peanut's not, but you gonna come to the tenements and hang out tonight?"

"Of course!" He seems excited. "I hate being here, anyways. It's so boring!"

He had to agree. There was a reason Ricky never really spent his time in the dorm, other than to see his friends or crash in their room when he was too lazy to walk home. Other than that, he never really found a reason to stay in the dorm for long. Slowly sitting up, he lays the blanket across Peanut and gets off the bed, stretching and cracking his neck.

"Well, you wanna go now?" he asks, looking down at the sophomore. "Or are you gonna come by later?"

With a smile, Lefty tosses his homework to the side, standing up and putting on his jacket. They start for the door when he stops, looking back at his friend.

"Will he be fine by himself?" he asks. Ricky just nods, opening the door.

"Don't see why not," he replies, stepping out. "Just let him rest. We'll be back before curfew."

With that being said, they're out the door, leaving the sick greaser behind. A part of Lefty feels odd to just leave him there. Normally, they would all go back to the tenement and hang out there, either leaving with enough time to get back home before curfew, or they would just spend the night there. But leaving without Peanut just felt weird to him, especially how he was Johnny's right hand man and always stuck with the clique. Though, he did need the rest. No point in dragging him out if he was feeling like this.

It's sundown by the time Peanut finally wakes up, sweating and groaning. He throws the covers off, removing his jacket and running a hand through his hair that was damp with his sweat. Even though it's a little disgusting, he does feel better. He's not as tired and his energy did come back. He props himself up on his elbow, rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out of them.

"Hey, Lefty," he greets as he notices a shadow move by at the end of his bed. There's no response and he frowns. "Fine, don't answer me, asshole."

He reaches over, turning on the light and grabbing his packet of cigarettes, taking one out. He puts it between his lips, going to turn in the direction he had seen Lefty move in.

"Ay, hand me a light-" He sees no one. No trace of his friend, either. He sits up fully, looking around, trying to see if this is one of his stupid jokes or something. But it's not. He's all alone in the room. "Probably just seein' things."

He gets up, grabbing the lighter by Lefty's bed and using it to light his cigarette. Taking a drag, he looks around. Lefty's homework is still sprawled out on his bed and his jacket is gone. He takes a seat back at the end of his bed, slouched over. He was pretty sure they had went to tenement, but then again, he doesn't know if he should be out while sick. Was he really sick? He didn't feel like he had caught anything. He felt fine now. Maybe he just had a moment where he got exhausted. He wasn't sure.

Laying back, Peanut takes another drag, exhaling the smoke through his nose. Photography comes to mind and a small part of him is still upset he let his shadow get in the way of a really nice picture. He wondered if he did have a shot at photography, though, if he really didn't become a mechanic. Maybe Ms. Phillips was just saying that. She was known for encouraging her students, rather than just shooting them down like most did. It felt nice, really. To have someone look out for him, other than Johnny. That's the only reason why he tried more in class. The encouragement made him feel better. Plus, the idea Johnny had pitched him only made him want to work harder. Finish high school, go to college, and they'd become mechanics after that. All of them. That was the plan, at least. And that was the plan he liked the most.

Finishing his cigarette, he drops it in the ashtray and lays back. The clique comes to mind. Johnny and Norton were seniors, and though Peanut was considered second in command, Norton was also in that spot with him. Considering both would graduate this year, he figured he was second in command for when they left. He'd be the new leader. At least, that's what he thought. He never asked Johnny.

There was Lola, as well. A beautiful senior with a nice body. Her voice, while it could get annoying at times, was a decent sound as well. She was "dating" Johnny, some would say. Technically, they were a couple, but it wasn't a surprise that Lola would go around town, flaunting her body to every guy she saw. Peanut always thought Johnny deserved more than that, though the leader could never see it for himself. He drove himself crazy over the girl. Everyone saw this, but who were they to argue with their boss? If he wanted to get himself hurt day in and day out, then there wasn't anything any of them could do except hope he would realize he deserved someone better soon.

Ricky and Lucky were the other two juniors. Both were close with each other, and Peanut often wondered if they were close like he and Johnny were. He didn't know how they had met, but he remembered Lucky would come around the auto shop more and more, being invited by Ricky. Back then, they had shop and worked on bikes together, often messing around to the point where Neil would yell at them for playing more than working. They ended up in the office more than a few times, the teacher not wanting to hear them anymore.

Lefty, Hal and Vance were their sophomores. Vance was a well respected greaser, and he often times did hang around Peanut and Norton. On some occasions, he would speak for the clique as well. Anytime they had to do something, though, he always chose to be with Lefty. Then, there was Hal. Hal wasn't a normal greaser, you could say. He didn't take much of an interest in bikes and cars like they did. Hell, he was even failing shop! But, despite this, he was pretty cool to hang around. He also provided the extra muscle whenever Norton wasn't around.

Slowly sitting up, Peanut reaches for his jacket and puts it back on. 6:30. He had a little over four hours left and he'd be damned if he was gonna spend it alone in the dorm room with everyone else outside ranting and raving. So, putting on his shoes and grabbing his packet of cigarettes, he leaves the dorm. There's a slight breeze outside, but it feels pretty good. He walks down the stairs and heads for the gates, a prefect calling after him to be back by curfew. Yeah, sure.

The walk to the tenement wasn't too bad, and along the way he spots Norton walking out of Yum Yum Market, a plastic bag in his hand.

"Hey, Norton!" he greets, running up to the senior and patting his shoulder. He looks down at him, a small smile appearing.

"Hey, Peanut. What's up?" He slows his pace. "You feelin' better? I heard you were sick."

"Yeah, I'm feelin' better," he tells him, smiling back. "Everyone else at the hang out?"

Norton nods and they continue their way to the old building, making small talk and jokes. This is what Peanut didn't want to miss out on if he spent his time back in the dorm. He didn't want to miss out on the fun they all had together. Didn't want to miss the jokes they'd make or the stories they'd tell. He wondered who would have the craziest tonight.


	3. II

**~II~**

 _He's scribbling away at the worksheet, copying down what Johnny had written. Class started in an hour and he hadn't even done any_ _thing_ _except write down his damn name and date. He really needed to start doing at least a couple_ _questions_ _when he first got it instead of stressing himself out in the morning. He couldn't even sleep in like he had planned._

 _He's nearly finished with the English homework when he notices something. A figure. He looks up,_ _ready to greet his roommate, but_ _find_ _s_ _a man standing standing before him_ _instead_ _. He's skinny and looks old, wearing a dirty and torn suit._ _He wants to say something; wants to shout at him for being in his room. But before he can, the man's running at him, his fist colliding with his cheek and sending him backwards._

Peanut wakes up, breathing heavy as he sits up to look around. He's back in the tenement, laying on the old couch they had found with Johnny on the other side of him and Hal asleep on the floor beside them. He supposed his panic had awoken their boss, seeing as he was groaning and sitting up to stare at him.

"Peanut, what's wrong?" he asks, his voice hushed so he doesn't wake the others.

"Just a dream," he replies, laying back down. "Don't worry about it."

Johnny nods, reaching out to pat his leg before going back to sleep. He lays there, calming himself and slowly relaxing. Hell, he didn't even feel like sleeping anymore. Pulling out his phone, he turned it on to be blinded by the bright light. Squinting his eyes, he looks at the time. 6:48 in the morning. School didn't start for another 2 hours and he was already awake. Groaning, he puts his phone back in his pocket. Judging by how quiet it is in the building, he knows no one else is awake. Well, might as well go do _something_ to pass his time.

Getting up, Peanut's careful to not wake up Johnny again and to walk around Hal, heading for the fire escape. It's freezing when he gets outside and he shivers a bit. He pulls out the packet of cigarettes he had grabbed before leaving the dorm, pulling one out and lighting it up. He leans against the rails, looking up at the stars as he blows out the smoke. Thinking back to the dream, it was silly. He supposed it only scared him because of the sudden leap the man had taken. Whatever. It was done now. He takes another drag, trying to see if he could connect some constellations he had remembered seeing in an old textbook. Who even decided to create constellations? Probably someone with nothing better to do.

It takes him a few minutes, but he finally takes the last drag from his cigarette. Throwing it over the edge, he walks back inside. There's shuffling coming from the kitchen and he looks around, smiling when he sees Lefty grabbing a bag of chips from off the counter.

"Mornin', hero," he greets, making the sophomore jump. "Whatcha doin' up this early?"

"God, Peanut," He soon chuckles, shaking his head. "I could ask you the same thing. You okay?"

"Yeah, a lot better now," He leans against the counter, arms crossed as he watches Lefty try to open the bag as quiet as he can. "So, what _are_ you doing up?"

"Vance kicked me in the face," he grumbles, "Couldn't go back to sleep. What about you?"

"Nightmare. Not really tired anymore," he sighs. He can hear him chuckle softly and he's tempted to smack him upside the head for laughing at him. But, he doesn't. Instead, he reaches out, ruffling his hair and making his friend chuckle, shoving his hand away.

They stand there for a bit, Lefty finally getting the bag open and offering Peanut some. He tells his friend about his nightmare, and even remarks about how silly he knows it sounds. There isn't a smart comment from him. Actually, Lefty offers some of his opinions on it, saying that maybe he's just stressing himself out by trying to do well in school. Maybe. He wasn't wrong about Peanut stressing himself out, considering Johnny had been on everyone's backs since school had started and he was worried about everyone not graduating on time after he left. A part of him wondered if they would all still be close like they had planned and talked about. His mother used to say that he would more than likely have no contact with the clique after high school. He did worry about her being right.

They must have been talking for a while because Lucky had finally woken up, yawning as he ran a hand through his hair. He gives them a smile and walks over.

"Up early I see," he speaks, "What's the occasion?"

"Just couldn't sleep," Peanut tells him, "What time is it, anyways?"

"Uh… 7:00 or something like that?" He raises his brows at the answer, almost stunned. Then again, by how the sun was already out and how longed they had talked, he could honestly say he wasn't surprised.

"I don't feel like going," Lefty grumbles, tossing the now empty bag on the counter and crossing his arms. "I'm gonna be so tired!"

"Oh, come on!" Lucky hooks an arm around him. "What are you gonna do with all of us gone?"

"Sleep..." There's a chuckle and the junior just punches his shoulder in a playful manner.

"You can sleep in math," he tells him, removing his arm and starting for the door. "Both of you might wanna get ready to go. Johnny's gonna be up soon and he'll wanna leave."

The two groan, Peanut pushing himself off of the counter he had been leaning against and stretching. He had English this morning and gym for his afternoon class and he wasn't ready for it. Johnny had those classes with him and he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to sleep through class like he wanted to. Maybe he could convince him?

The rest of the greasers are up a few minutes later, a few leaving before the others to go home and grab their backpacks. Peanut says his goodbyes to Lefty, saying he'll see him either during lunch or just back at the dorm. He then goes to meet up with Johnny, smiling up at him.

"Mornin', kid," Johnny greets, "You got up early, huh?"

"Actually, I never went back to sleep," He gives the senior a sheepish smile, watching him roll his eyes and a sigh escapes his lips.

"What am I gonna do with you?" He makes his way for the stairs, Peanut following him close behind. "I'm gonna stop by my place real quick to grab my stuff and take a shower. You wanna come with?"

"Sure," It had been a while since he had been to his friend's house. He remembered that Johnny's father was usually working, and when he was there, they seemed to fight a lot. He figured that's why his boss was so hotheaded. "You mind if I take a shower while I'm there too?"

"As long as you don't fall asleep in there," The two share a small chuckle as they step outside, the chilly morning air greeting them. Johnny gets on his bike he had parked nearby, Peanut hopping onto the back and holding onto his shoulders with a firm grip so he doesn't fall off. Johnny was the fastest when it came to biking and he was sure he'd suffer more than a few scrapes if he had fallen off. He didn't exactly want to spend his day in the hospital for cracking open his skull by being thrown off a bike.

They get to Johnny's house in a few minutes, Peanut hopping off and following the senior to the front door, who unlocks it and walks inside.

"Johnny? That you, sweetie?" A sweet voice calls out from the kitchen and it makes Peanut smile. Mrs. Vincent was always so nice to them.

"Yeah, ma!" They go into the kitchen, Johnny walking over to his mother. She leans up, going to give him a kiss on the cheek before turning to look at the junior.

"Oh, Larry! I didn't know you were here!" She walks over to him, placing a small kiss on his cheek as well.

"Hey, Mrs. Vincent!" he greets. He liked how motherly she was to him. It felt nice to have someone treat him like that.

"You just missed your father, Johnny," Mrs. Vincent starts, turning back to her son, who's just rolling his eyes.

"Thank god," he grumbles, receiving a smack on his arm.

"Now, don't you start that!" she scolds, "You know, if you would just _come home_ every once in a while, maybe you two wouldn't fight so much!"

"Yeah, ma," It's apparent Johnny's stopped listening and it makes Peanut chuckle softly. It was always so weird to see his boss – king of Bullworth Academy – being scolded by someone.

"Larry, sweetie," Mrs. Vincent turns her attention to the younger teen. "Would you like anything to eat?"

"I'm fine, ma'am. Thank you," She gives him a smile before Johnny walks past them.

"I'm gonna grab a shower," he tells them, making his way for the hallway. "I'll yell when I'm done, Peanut."

"Peanut?" she repeats, "He's been your best friend for a couple years now! You should be calling him by a better nickname, Johnny!"

"Yeah, ma!" And like that, he's gone. Mrs. Vincent just shakes her head, going back to washing some dishes that were still in the sink.

"That boy, I swear," she sighs, "You know, Larry, sometimes I worry about him. I've heard those fights he gets into and I'm just so worried I'll be getting a call from the hospital saying he's in a coma or something."

"He's a great fighter, ma'am," he tells her in an attempt to ease her concern.

"And that Lola girl," she continues, "I don't mean to put her down, but Lord almighty, I wish he would just wake up and realize she's no good."

"We all do..." He looks down, frowning. All of Bullworth knew of Lola's reputation. How she slept around with everyone and always played victim when called out. He would admit, she was stunning, but he hated how Johnny couldn't realize he deserved better.

"Larry," She turns around, staring at him. "you're the only one Johnny's ever brought home, especially from school. What are the others like?"

"You mean the other greasers?" he questions, "Well, we're all really close. We look out for each other, you know? Johnny's been taking care of us, too. Making sure we keep our grades up before he graduates."

"He's such a sweet boy," she starts, "I just wish he didn't inherit his father's temper. It's going to get him in a lot of trouble one day, mark my word! Could you try to keep him out of trouble for me, Larry?"

"I can try, ma'am," He lets out a small laugh, going to rub the back of his neck nervously. "But, you know how he can get."

"And just how can I get, _Larry?_ " Johnny's voice makes him jump and he looks at his boss. He's drying his hair off with a towel, staring at him.

"You know," he replies, "You can get a bit crazy at times and it's hard to get you to stop."

"That it?" he laughs, "And here I was thinkin' you were gonna say something worse. Anyways, you still wanna take a shower?"

"Yeah, sure!" He waves to his friend's mother, Johnny telling him that he's left a towel in there for him. As he makes his way to the bathroom, he can hear Mrs. Vincent voice her concerns to her son, who just responds with simple 'uh-huh's. He just smiles to himself. Being over to Johnny's house always made him feel better.

Peanut shuts and locks the door, undressing and throwing his clothes onto the counter. He's sure Johnny would have some cologne somewhere he could borrow. He steps into the tub, running the water and pulling the pin to start the shower. The hot water hits him and it feels amazing. He tilts his head back, letting the water wet his hair. Running his hands through his brown locks, he removes the grease he'd use the previous day, reaching out and grabbing the shampoo. He can't remember the last time he had a shower that felt this nice.

He takes about five minutes in the shower before he's done, though he wishes he could stay longer. Shutting the water off, Peanut turns to exit the tub. Though, he gasps when he notices a dark figure standing outside the shower curtain. At first, he thinks it's Johnny playing some stupid joke on him, before he remembers that he had locked the door. He stands there, frozen in fear. Suddenly, the figure's running towards the curtain and in surprise he lets out a shriek, slipping in the tub and smacking the back of his head on the little ledge that held the soap. He falls to the floor, and when he looks up, the shadow's gone.

"Peanut!" Johnny's panicked voice snaps him out of his little trance, his hand banging on the door as he tries to open it. "Peanut, what the hell?! Are you okay?!"

"Y-yeah! I'm fine!" he calls, reaching back and grabbing his aching head. "Just slipped..."

"Sweetie? Do you need me to call someone?" Mrs. Vincent's voice is calm, but also worried. "An ambulance or something?"

"I'm fine, thanks," He sighs, hearing them move away from the door. What the hell was that? He rests his head against the wall, groaning. What a great way to end his shower. Slowly, he gets up and leaves the tub, drying off with the towel Johnny had left for him. Putting his clothes back on, he runs his hand through his hair, pushing it back and out of his face. He exits the bathroom, going to Johnny's room. His friend is in there, hunched over his backpack, putting some papers inside. He looks up when he enters the room and is immediately in front of him, looking him over.

"You okay?" he asks. Peanut just nods and he gives a small sigh of relief. "What happened? Lose your balance?"

"I uh… I saw something," he confesses. Johnny stares at him, as if wanting him to elaborate. "I'll tell you on the way."

"Alright," He goes to grab his backpack, both leaving the room. Mrs. Vincent is now in the living room and gives Peanut a worried look when she sees him.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asks, "You don't feel sick or anything?"

"I'm okay, ma'am. But thank you," She smiles, walking forward to kiss both of their cheeks one more time.

"Okay. You two be safe and have fun!" she tells them as they make their way for the door. "Love you, boys!"

"Love you, too!" They walk out of the house, Peanut shivering as the breeze flows through his still damp hair. They get on Johnny's bike and the senior is going a lot slower compared to before.

"So, you gonna explain now?" he asks, taking a glance back to look a his friend.


	4. III

**~III~**

Peanut stays quiet for a bit, still wondering how he's gonna explain what he had seen back at Johnny's house without sounding crazy. But, he can't think of anything. So when they near the parking lot he lets out a sigh.

"I think I'm just tired," he finally tells him, "It'll probably go away when I get some rest."

"That's it?" he asks as they near the auto shop. "Was that why you screamed and fell in the shower?"

"Not really…" He hops off the back of the bike as they come to a stop, watching as he puts his bike away in the garage.

"Would you just tell me what's going on?" he sighs, both making their way towards the boy's dorm so Peanut can grab his things. "We're supposed to be best friends, right? So why ain't you being truthful?"

"Because it sounds crazy," he grumbles. Johnny just chuckles, reaching out to punch his shoulder.

"We've told each other some pretty crazy stories in the past," he replies, "Why would now be any different from that?"

Peanut doesn't respond. He's right. During their couple years of being friends, they had shared stories of what they went through, crazy or not. He supposed he just didn't want Johnny looking at him in a different light.

"I just saw something," he confesses, the leader raising his brows. "It looked like a person and it ended up running at the shower curtain and scared me."

"A person?" he repeats, "Well, that's how I know it was your imagination, because not only was it me and my mom home, that damn door was _locked_. While we're on that subject, please don't lock that door again. You had me worried."

"Sorry, Johnny," A hand is rested on his shoulder and Peanut smiles. "I dunno. I just didn't want you thinking I was crazy and end up avoiding me."

"We have a few classes together. How am I supposed to avoid you?" he laughs, "Besides, I'm here to help everyone in the clique! Especially you."

"Thanks, Johnny," They reach the dorm, going inside and towards Peanut's room, Johnny shoving Davis into a nearby trash can for bumping into him and running his mouth about something. They don't stay in the dorm for long, Peanut grabbing his backpack and fixing up his hair. They're out within a minute, Johnny commenting about how rowdy that building is and how he's glad he doesn't stay in it. Honestly, it probably was for the best that he didn't, considering he would probably fight every student in there.

9:00 and class has started, the two greasers taking their seats by each other as more students walk in. Mr. Galloway is already having his morning "tea" as he explains the assignment for today. It's simple, really. Read over some short stories and analyze them. If they finish early, then they could leave or do any homework they had for their next class that they didn't finish. They had the option to work with partners and right as he's done talking, Peanut's turning around in his seat to face Johnny, dropping his paper beside his so they can work together. Well, more so talk and joke around, even though Johnny had wanted them to get it finished. Oh well. It could just become homework if they didn't get it done.

Class is almost over and Peanut can feel his eyelids grow heavy and he's occasionally nodding off every now and then. Johnny just chuckles every time his head dips forward, only to have him panic and snap it right back up.

"Are you gonna be okay, kid?" Johnny asks, watching as his head dips once more.

"Hopefully," he grumbles, finally crossing his arms and resting on them. "If anything, I'll just sleep throughout gym."

"And who said you could do that?" he teases. There's just a yawn and he shakes his head. "You can sleep during gym as long as you promise to participate next time."

"Will do, boss," His response is soft as he fights to stay awake. The bell startles him and Johnny laughs when he jumps. They gather their things and follow the rest of the students out, Mr. Galloway reminding them to either turn in their work or finish it for homework. Making their way to the cafeteria, Johnny throws his bag on their table, Peanut taking a seat and using his own backpack as a pillow. He sits next to him, the look of the food Edna had cooked being completely revolting. God knows what she put in it.

The rest of the greasers join them minutes later, Lefty looking equally as tired as Peanut.

"What's wrong with you two?" Ricky asks, taking a seat by Lucky.

"Woke up early," Lefty replies, going to kick Vance's shin under the table. "Thanks to this asshole!"

"Ow! What the hell?!" He kicks him back, the two fighting for a bit and Ricky regrets asking. Had he known this would be the result he would've just kept his mouth shut. But they continue to bicker, Lefty complaining about how he was kicked in the face this morning and wasn't able to fall back asleep. Peanut's just groaning at the noise, attempting to bury his face further into his crossed arms.

"Both of you knock it off," Johnny snaps, catching their attention. "No one wants to hear it."

They obey his command, giving a soft apology. And after that, they start to talk amongst each other, Peanut and Lefty staying out of the conversation to try and get in some rest. Of course, with all the talking in the cafeteria it's pretty much impossible to with how loud everyone is. Peanut can make out some of the insults the rest of the greasers are throwing out about the preps, Ricky occasionally badmouthing the jocks. Hal, of course, doesn't really talk about anyone, except how pretty much the entire student body is nothing but people that resemble twigs.

Though he doesn't sleep, Peanut's eyes feel less heavy. Just like last time, the bell ringing makes him jump, along with Lefty who had successfully gotten in a good half hour sleep. He doesn't look any better though, now seeming even more tired. Norton has to pretty much carry him to the next class they shared together. Gathering up their things, the greasers say goodbye as they make their way up the stairs and towards their classes, agreeing to go hang out after school. Peanut wondered if he would be rested enough to hang out with them again tonight, or if he would just to go back to his room and crash. And, to none of their surprise, Johnny has to shout at Ricky to make sure he goes to his own class, Photography. The teen just rolls his eyes, responding with a "sir, yes, sir."

A couple jocks are already in the gym when Johnny and Peanut get in there, throwing a football back and forth. The two greasers make their way towards the pool area, Peanut dragging himself up the stairs and towards the bleachers, throwing his bag down and laying on it. Johnny just watches him with an amused smile.

"You really that tired?" he asks, the junior just nodding. "I'm actually surprised, since you were the first one to fall asleep last night."

"I've just been tired," he tells him softly, "Ever since I went to turn in my pictures for photography, I've been feeling really tired."

"Maybe you just need to rest more," he suggests, pulling out his phone. There's a picture message from Ricky, showing him the inside of the art room, the message _"are you proud of me?"_ being sent right after. He just chuckles softly, responding with a simple yes and putting his phone back in his pocket. "How much you been sleeping before yesterday?"

"I don't know," he sighs, picking up his head to stare at his boss. "I thought I was getting enough, but I guess not."

"And about that shadow," Peanut groans at the mention of the earlier event. "Was that the first time you've ever seen something like that?"

Before he can say no, he stops himself. Back at the dorm after he woke up. That figure that moved across the room. He sighs.

"Before I came over to the tenement," he confesses, surprising him. "I woke up and I thought I saw Lefty in the room and walking around, but when I turned on the light no one was there."

"Really?" It was a bit of a surprise to hear his confession, but he was glad he wasn't keeping it from him like he tried to last time. He reaches out, giving him a comforting pat on his leg. "Well, if you ever see it again, just text me and I'll come get you. You can spend the night at my place."

"You sure?" Peanut picks up his head, a smiling on his face. "What if it's like… really late or past curfew?"

"That don't matter," he replies, "Besides, I think my mom likes having you over. Said something about you being a good influence."

"Really? She said that?" It's a surprise, considering that the greasers weren't saints. They started fights, broke the law, and even had been arrested a few times. They were lucky that Norton's father was an officer, since he usually let them off with a slap on the wrist. Where did "good influence" come from any of that? Maybe she saw Peanut as one of the greasers who didn't cause the most trouble… which again was a lie. "Heh. Your mom's pretty great, you know?"

"Yeah, she can be," Peanut rests his head back down, closing his eyes. He's lucky to have such a caring friend. Honestly, his family wasn't the most supportive. His father was decent, being the one who got him into bikes and cars. But his mother, on the other hand, wasn't too supportive of his ideas becoming a mechanic. She also hated how he befriended Johnny Vincent his freshman year, becoming a greaser along with Ricky and Lucky. His grades slowly started to slip and he didn't come home after school like he used to. His father was okay with it, saying he had went through the same thing when he was in high school. This wasn't the same reaction from his mother, though, and she told him to leave if he kept wanting to hang out with them. Guess what he chose. He wouldn't have it any other way, though. He went back on holidays to see his parents, and even though his mother wasn't the most ecstatic to see him, his father always greeted him with the warmth and love Johnny's mother had for them when they went over this morning.

When the bell rings to signal it's the end of the day, Peanut actually sleeps through it. Johnny has to violently shake him to wake him up, deciding it's best to have him sleep in a bed rather than on a bleacher. He just groans, batting his boss away in an attempt to stay asleep. With a smirk, Johnny reaches into his backpack and pulls out a bottle of water. Uncapping it, he pours a bit on his friend's face, watching him panic and thrash himself awake.

"Johnny! What the hell?!" he whines, and that voice makes him laugh.

"C'mon," he says, capping the bottle and throwing it back into his bag, slinging one of the straps over his shoulder. "The bell rang and I'd rather have you back in your room."

Peanut stumbles to pick up his bag, following his boss down the stairs and out the door, being greeted by the basketball court. The cool air makes Peanut shiver, both walking towards the fountain.

"You still tired?" Johnny asks, looking back at him. "Or do you wanna come hang out with us?"

"I… think I'll come hang out," he answers after some hesitation. This just makes his friend smile. They take a left at the fountain, headed for the auto shop, finding the rest of the clique waiting for them.

"There you guys are!" Hal greets with a smile, "We thought you wouldn't be comin'."

"I had a hard time waking Peanut up," Johnny tells them, returning the smile.

"Yeah, so did I with Lefty," Norton grumbles, the sophomore just letting out a nervous chuckle. "Anyways, you guys ready to go?"

"Yeah!" They leave the auto shop, Peanut on the back of Johnny's bike like he was when they had arrived that morning. Though he was still tired, he figured hanging out with his friends would do him some good.


	5. IV

**~IV~**

They hang out around New Coventry for hours, cracking jokes, breaking into cars and fighting whatever townie was stupid enough to show their face. Johnny keeps close to Peanut, occasionally asking if he's okay or has seen anything whenever the rest of the group becomes occupied with something. Every answer is the same. _"I'm fine. Don't worry, boss."_ But he does worry. And though Peanut just wants to stay the same old greaser everyone's known, he knows Johnny's just looking out for him.

When it's close to curfew, the clique goes their separate ways. Hal's first to leave, saying something about wanting to get some dinner before his family left him none. Norton was next, not wanting to face the wrath of his father for being out later than he was allowed. Ricky and Lucky left shortly after, both going to Ricky's house to hang out a bit more. Vance went back to the dorm with Lefty when they finally started to get tired. And just like that, Johnny and his right-hand man are alone again. They go back to campus and stay outside the dorm, smoking and talking in lower voices so no prefects come their way and start trouble.

"You still okay?" Johnny asks, earning a small nod. "You still tired?"

"A little," he sighs, rubbing his face. "I dunno. I've just been having these stupid dreams. Even when I took that nap in gym."

"What was it about?" He shrugs, taking the cigarette Johnny passes.

"Something weird," he grumbles as he takes a drag, exhaling the smoke through his nose. "Like… I was in this car but someone was trying to push me out. Had the door open and half my body out. Face got close to the ground, too. Thought I was gonna die."

Johnny stares at him as he takes his cigarette back, almost surprised. Peanut had told him some of his dreams, but oddly enough, they never really involved _him_ being the one in harms way. Sure, he told him he had dreams of fighting someone, but never to the point where anyone had died.

"That's when you woke me up," he continues, looking over at his friend with a smile. "Just before I was fully pushed out, you woke me up."

"Heh. Glad I did, then," They sit in silence for a bit longer, smoking and enjoying the cool night. And when they're done smoking, Johnny stands up, stretching and looking down at Peanut with a smile, hand extended. He takes it, being helped up as well.

"You gonna go home?" he asks, watching him nod.

"Remember, Peanut," he starts as he makes his way away from the dorm. "You see anything or can't sleep, just text me. I'll come get you."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," he chuckles, "But thanks, Johnny."

"Of course! Night, kid," And with that, the boss walks off, hands shoved in his pockets as he looks around for any prefects. Peanut watches him make a right before he disappears behind the wall. He then makes his way inside the dorm, the soft snoring of his fellow students sounding a lot better than the yelling he had grown accustom to.

Walking into his room, he sees there's a guest. Vance is asleep on his bed, cuddled up with one of his pillows. Groaning, he walks over, almost tempted to kick him off. But, the sophomore does look comfy and he would be lying if he said he never did this to one of his friends before. So instead of being mean like he should've been, he reaches out and pulls the blanket up and over Vance's body, gently patting his shoulder. He then takes a seat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face and sighing. Kicking off his shoes, he lays down, having more than enough room since his friend was practically falling off the edge of the little twin bed they had. Oh well. If he fell it was his problem. Might remind him not to sleep on his bed without his permission.

His eyes finally shut and he lays there, the soft breathing of his two friends actually relaxing. He's close to falling asleep before he hears Lefty go into a small coughing fit, making him jump. Asshole. He sits up, glaring at the younger teen, who's still asleep as he finally calms down, rolling over to be on his side. He sighs, going to slowly start to lower himself back down, until he catches something in the corner of his eye. A dark figure is in the corner of the room, just standing there. He feels his body tense up. It's not moving, but just the glimpse of it makes him uncomfortable. Slowly, he forces himself to turn his head, looking at the figure fully. It's almost as though someone's standing and he's seeing their shadow, but no one else is in the room, especially standing upright. He bites his lip and he can feel his body slowly start to go numb. Finally, the figure moves and he holds his breath. It just moves towards Lefty, sticking to the wall before finally stopping when it reaches the end. He's still stunned, but slowly reaches out, grabbing his phone. His hands tremble as he unlocks it, opening his messages and taking glances around the room to make sure it hasn't moved.

 _Peanut: Johnny? U awake?_

He hits send and feels like it's forever before there's a response from his boss.

 _Johnny: yea. U ok?_

 _Peanut: mind if I take u up on that offer?_

 _Johnny: of staying w/ me?_

 _Peanut: yea. Saw it again._

 _Johnny: omw_

He lets out a sigh of relief. Slowly sitting up, he puts his shoes back on and goes to grab his backpack. He shoves a shirt and some sweats in by his notebooks and textbook. Though he hasn't seen the shadow move after it had stopped in the other corner, he didn't want to stay. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but at this point he didn't care. He just wanted to leave. He was sure Lefty and Vance would be fine. If it wanted to cause harm, he was sure it would have already. He just can't bring himself to stay in his room with this thing, though. He was stressed out enough and he didn't need to see this.

Leaving quietly, Peanut goes outside and makes his way towards the gates, his backpack slung over his shoulder as he looks around, waiting anxiously for his friend. No prefects are out right now, but he still worried about one of them finding him and either dragging him back to the dorm, or chasing him away. He takes out his phone. 12:02. It's late and he's surprised Johnny was still up. Probably trying to be a good senior and finish that English homework they had. Wait. Dammit, he didn't work on it either. Oh well. He would get around to it.

Johnny's riding up a few minutes later, a worried expression plastered on his face. Great. He felt guilty when he looked at him, giving him a sheepish smile.

"Hey, boss," he greets softly as he walks over.

"You okay?" he asks. Nodding, Peanut gets on the back of Johnny's bike, holding onto his shoulders. Johnny takes off at a decent pace, the wind making him shiver slightly. "So what happened to you being fine?"

"Whatever, Johnny," The two share a chuckle and Peanut watches the road ahead of him. Of course, there are some adults out, saying how they should be inside and how it was past curfew. Yeah, like they didn't know that.

They get to Johnny's house in no time and enter quietly, Johnny leading Peanut down the hall and to his room. He flips on the light and closes the door, going to sit on his bed as he gives the junior a concerned look.

"You gonna be okay?" he asks, earning a nod.

"I should be. Thanks," Peanut gives him a smile as he kicks off his shoes. They change with their backs facing one another, and it's something he finds almost nostalgic. Staring at Johnny's door as he changed into night clothes, getting ready to spend the night. Those memories made him smile.

When they're finished, both are laying on Johnny's bed, the TV on and playing a random movie at a low volume. Neither of them are paying attention to what's going on, though. The glow of the screen is just nice to have in the now dark room. Peanut feels a lot calmer as well, his hands folded atop his stomach as he stared at the ceiling. Johnny was beside him, laying on his side with his phone in hand texting Lord knows who. Probably Lola. Though, this theory is crushed when Johnny speaks in a hushed voice.

"Maybe you have anxiety," His friend's suggestion catches him off guard and he stares at him, waiting for a more in-depth explanation. "Says here some people see shadows when they have an anxiety attack, they're lacking sleep, or it's a PTSD related thing. So, maybe you're just having anxiety or you're just really tired."

"Wouldn't be surprised," He lets out a sigh, going back to staring at the ceiling. Johnny continues to look at his phone through half-lidded eyes. Though, a soft grunt catches Peanut's attention.

"Someone was put in the asylum for seeing shadows, too," he tells him, turning his phone so he can see the article. Vyvyan Amber, age 17, committed to Happy Volts Asylum for- wait Happy Volts was in Bullworth. Peanut shoots up, snatching the phone from his friend and reading it over. He ignores the small and offended "hey" from Johnny, who's also sitting up and looking over his shoulder, reading the article.

" _Vyvyan Amber – F – W – Entered July 10th, 2006 – 17 yrs old – Kind of Insanity when she entered – Schizophrenia. Today, same. Disposition: quiet and isolated. Aggressive at times, at the sight of doctors, but even then very quiet. Hallucinates shadow figures on walls. Doesn't sleep much. Doesn't interact with others and stays alone – no social skills. Her health is declining. Refuses to take medicine."_

"Hey, that was over the summer," Johnny points out. Both are surprised at the description of the patient. Neither of them had heard anything about a Bullworth citizen being admitted to the asylum, aside from a couple of the townies. This was fairly new as well, considering they were in the ending of August. "Heh. Maybe you're a schizophrenic like Vyv."

"That's not funny, Johnny," Peanut grumbles, frowning at him. He looks back at the document and sighs, wondering if the shadows she saw were similar to his. If they ran at her or if they just walked back and forth on her walls. He hands Johnny back his phone, going to lay down again in the same position. It made him feel a little better knowing there was someone who was seeing the same things, but he didn't like how this person had schizophrenia. Johnny turns off his phone and lays beside his friend, reaching out to gently pat him on the shoulder.

"Just relax, man," he tells him softly as he turns over, his back facing him. "You'll be okay. If anything happens, wake me up."

"Yeah, I will. Night, Johnny," He turns onto his side as well, hearing a soft "night, kid" come from the senior beside him. He stares out at the window at the night sky. Maybe, just _maybe_ , he would see if he could pay this Vyvyan girl a visit. Just to see what she went through and if she could help him.


	6. V

**~V~**

 _The room's dark and cold. Peanut can practically see his breath with every exhale he takes. Johnny's nowhere in the room, and the TV had been replaced with a fish tank, a little seahorse swimming around. Where did his boss go? And what time was it? Reaching over, Peanut pats around the nightstand before he grabs his phone. A frown forms on his face as the screen doesn't turn on when he presses the power button. Guess his phone wasn't as charged as he thought and it had died. Great._

 _Sitting up, Peanut rubs his face with a sigh. It's still dark, so it's probably early morning. He wishes he knew what time, though. Standing up, Peanut makes his way towards the little seahorse, bending down to admire it. A little white and black spotted creature. How cute. He smiles at it as it swims around. He had never seen one in person before. He liked it. Though, it was a bit unnerving when it turned to fully face him._

" _Don't look!" The voice makes him jump back, bumping into a figure behind him._

" _Johnny?" He turns around, his breath catching in his throat when he sees the old man wearing the same dirty and torn suit. He doesn't get a chance to say anything else before he's shoved backwards, slamming into the fish tank and breaking it, the water pouring out and onto him._

Peanut wakes up in a cold sweat, throwing himself upright and looking around, breathing heavily. Johnny's up within seconds, laying a hand on his shoulder and making him jump, looking at his boss with a terrified expression.

"Hey, calm down," he speaks softly, "What happened, man? Another bad dream?"

"Yeah… yeah..." He crosses his legs, hanging his head and resting it in his hands. "Sorry I woke you up."

"No worries," Johnny gives him that smile he's grown so used to seeing, and he smiles himself. "You wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. It's stupid," he laughs, shaking his head slightly. He slowly looks around the room, noticing how the TV is still where it was, playing some animated movie on mute. His smile turns to an uncomfortable one. "You uh… you ever think of getting a seahorse?"

"Seahorse?" It's Johnny's turn to let out a laugh, rubbing Peanut's back. "I mean, I've never really given it any thought. Why? You want one?"

"Heh. Maybe."

They stay in bed until the sun comes up, laying there and talking softly. Johnny talks about how he's both excited and nervous to graduate. Excited to leave the academy and work on becoming a mechanic to start on their plan to open their own shop, but nervous because he couldn't be here to watch over the clique and make sure they were okay. Peanut promises to take care of the others when he and Norton left. There's just a soft chuckle and his boss pats his arm.

"That's why _you'll_ be in charge when I graduate," he tells him, "Just… make sure Ricky and Lucky keep up their grades, yeah? I know Lucky's not doing so well in history. Or gym. Or economics..."

"I'll do my best, boss," Peanut turns to look at him, giving him a grin. Johnny matches it, going to give his shoulder a playful punch. After laying there a bit more, Johnny finally gets up, stretching and running his hand through his hair.

"I'm gonna grab a shower," he tells him, getting out of bed. "Ma should be up and making breakfast. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to get you something to eat."

"I hope so," he chuckles, "Your mom makes _the best_ pancakes ever."

"Yeah, she does!" Johnny gets up, grabbing a couple towels and making his way for the door. "You can take a shower after me."

"Sounds good," Peanut watches him leave before reaching over to grab his phone. He lets out a sigh in relief when it turns on, showing the time. 7:15. He yawns softly as he sits up, looking out the window. There a couple clouds in the sky, but other than that the blue is so welcoming. Slowly getting up, he pockets his phone and leaves Johnny's room, the soft sound of plates clanking together making him smile. He walks down the hallway, smiling when he sees his friend's mother flipping a pancake.

"Need some help, Mrs. Vincent?" Peanut asks, making her jump.

"Larry!" She turns around, the surprise on her face soon turning into a smile. "Ha ha! Good morning, sweetie! How are you?"

"I'm fine. Sorry I scared you," He walks forward, leaning against the counter. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm okay," She goes back to cooking. "Oh, it's so good to have both you _and_ Johnny here. You haven't spent the night together in so long!"

"I'm sorry I kinda came unannounced," He reaches up, rubbing the back of his neck. "And without permission… and after curfew."

"Oh, don't worry about it!" she giggles, turning to give him that warm smile. "You're always welcome here, Larry. You're like another son to me! Besides, Johnny always seems a lot more happier with you around."

"I'm glad to hear it, ma'am," She pushes a plate of pancakes over to him, a fork right beside the little stack. "Thank you!"

"Of course!" He starts eating, listening to Mrs. Vincent hum softly. She does make it a point to occasionally say how she wishes Johnny and his father would get along more. Apparently the only time they weren't fighting was when they were working on cars together.

It doesn't take Peanut long to finish his breakfast. He practically scarfs it down. He can't remember the last time he had food that was this good. And when he's done, he washes his plate, earning himself a small "thank you" from Mrs. Vincent. Walking back to his spot, Johnny finally emerges from the bathroom, drying off his hair with a towel. He sends Peanut a smile, gesturing his head to the door.

"And don't lock it this time," he tells the junior as he walks past, "I don't want a repeat of last time."

"Won't happen, boss," he replies, hearing a soft giggle from Mrs. Vincent. He grabs his outfit before going into the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror. His skin is looking a bit paler than before. It's no longer vibrant, but rather dull and almost washed out. He needed to get himself some sleep. But, spending the night with Johnny did make him feel better. Despite all of his crazy sightings, he was still himself. He was still the same old Larry "Peanut" Romano, second-in-command of the greaser clique in this hellhole. With a smile, he undresses and makes his way into the shower, turning on the hot water.

His shower it a bit longer than last time, but there's no shadow when he turns to get out. He dries himself off, putting on his clothes and drying his hair as best he could. He takes one last look at himself in the mirror, brown eyes looking a lot more dull than he's used to seeing. With a soft sigh, he leaves the bathroom, heading for Johnny's room. The senior's in there, putting on his signature leather jacket and combing through his hair with his fingers. He gives his friend a smile when he sees him.

"I see your shower wasn't hectic like last time," Johnny chuckles, "You feel any better?"

"Yeah, thanks," They both grab their backpacks, leaving the room, Peanut closing the door behind them. Mrs. Vincent tells them goodbye when they head for the front door, calling out how she loved them and to be safe. Have fun and all that. The two get on Johnny's bike, heading for school. Peanut watches the town pass them by. A couple holding hands, a dog following its owner, one of the students kicking over a sign. Everything seems so natural now. Normal again. He smiles.

They get to school with extra time to spare. Norton's by the auto shop, talking with Hal. They smile when they see the two, waving them over. They talk for a while before the rest join them, Ricky laughing at how a dog chased Lucky on their way to school. Guess he didn't really live up to his name. Vance apologizes for taking up Peanut's bed as well, which he dismisses. Of course he can understand. Besides, it wasn't like he needed his bed anyways, after what had happened the previous night.

The bell's ringing before they know it, and the ones who don't have class leave the auto shop, saying goodbye their friends and splitting up. Peanut doesn't exactly have any classes with any of his friends in his morning or afternoon classes today, and he finds himself practically dragging his feet towards history class. Mr. Wiggins greets him and it's apparent he's excited for today's lesson. Something about the bombing of Hiroshima and how they were supposed to write papers on their views of whether or not it was justified to actually drop an atomic bomb, and what they would think would happen if America had never done it. Peanut didn't really care, honestly. History wasn't to most exciting class in his opinion. But he doesn't completely ignore the video his teacher puts up. It's a documentary of what happened and some people talking about it. He's spaced out for most of it, staring blankly at the screen. He looks down at his paper that's not even halfway done. He just sighs softly before looking around the room. Thad's paying full attention, along with Cornelius. Casey's fallen asleep, and other students around the room are either messing around or just spaced out like him. With a soft sigh, Peanut raises his hand, catching Mr. Wiggins' attention.

"May I go to the bathroom?" he asks. The man just huffs but nods his head.

"At the best part, too," he grumbles, watching the greaser walk out. Of course, he doesn't exactly have to use the bathroom, but he didn't want to hear anymore of the documentary. He slowly walks to the bathroom, making sure to take his sweet time just so he doesn't have to deal with history any longer than he has to. He looks at himself in the mirror, admiring his still palish skin and duller eyes. Luckily no one's questioned him. Or how, for once since becoming a greaser, his hair isn't in the old school pompadour. He simply just slicked it back, the same couple strands falling on his forehead. Of course, he had to continuously push his hair back so it wasn't falling in his face. It was irritating, to say the least.

He looks down at his phone, seeing there's about half an hour left of class. There's also a picture from Lefty in the group chat. Apparently Constantinos had fallen asleep in class and the other students took it upon themselves to draw all over his face. It was entertaining, really, and he smiled. Though it faded when he looked up and in the mirror, that same shadowy figure standing behind him. He jumped and whirled around, expecting it to still be there. But it wasn't. He took a glance back into the mirror, only to see it wasn't there either. A wave of relief washed over him. Maybe he was just hallucinating due to lack of sleep. He just sighs, turning on the tap and splashing water on his face. The cold feels amazing and he lets out a breath. However, he still feels a bit shaky as he stands upright. Drying his hands off on his jeans, he reaches into his back pocket, retrieving his phone. He goes straight to his conversation with Johnny, and with a deep breath, he taps the little message box and stares at the mini keyboard.

 _Peanut: can we go hang out alone during lunch? Not feeling good…_

 _Johnny: y? What happened?_

 _Peanut: in the bathroom and saw a shadow. Just freaked I guess_

 _Johnny: whats your afternoon class?_

 _Peanut: geography_

 _Johnny: meet by the auto shop after class. we'll see what we can do then_

 _Peanut: thx johnny. Ur the best_


	7. VI

**AN: Thank you guys for the reviews. It means a lot to me!  
**

* * *

 **~VI~**

Peanut stays in the bathroom for a few minutes longer, calming himself and wasting more time before he has to go back. Of course, he eventually gets tired of just standing around. The rest of the clique has gone silent, and Lord knows he's not about to try and strike up conversation just for the hell of entertainment. Besides, it's not like he had anything to talk about and he wasn't going to bring up his sightings to anyone other than Johnny.

He makes his way out and into the history class, students staring at him as he enters and walks back to his seat. There's only a half hour left of class and he rests his head on crossed arms, blankly staring at the screen. His mind wanders as he sits there. From the shadows to his nightmares, to even the asylum patient he and Johnny had read about the previous night. He's so lost in thought he barely notices everyone packing up, getting ready to leave. When the movie shuts off and people start to chatter, he finally realizes. His assignment isn't even fully filled out, but he doesn't exactly care, handing it to the student in front of him so it can be passed up. Stretching a bit and rolling his shoulders, he puts his pencil back in his backpack and moves so his legs are to the side of his chair. And when the bell rings, he stands up and walks out the door, heading for the auto shop. Normally he would go towards he fountain and make a right, but today he decides to go by the parking lot. Of course he loved seeing his friends, but today he didn't feel like telling them the story of why he was skipping the cafeteria to go hang out around shop, especially alone.

It was easy, to his surprise, to get to the back of the auto shop without any other greasers noticing him. However, Neil did step out with a cigarette in his mouth, surprised to see Peanut.

"And what are you doin' over here?" he asks, approaching the short student. "It's lunch. You ain't heard the bell, kid?"

"Skipping lunch today," he replies as he avoids his gaze. "Not that hungry..."

"Humph," He shakes his head as he blows out smoke. "You need to eat, Larry. Even something small. It's not healthy to skip out on eating for so long."

"Yes, sir," His voice is soft and he just wishes the teacher would leave. However, Neil looks him over.

"What's with you?" he questions, "You look horrible! Someone givin' you trouble?"

"Just myself, sir," he chuckles softly, "I haven't been getting much sleep lately. Guess it's finally catching up with me."

"Well, you better get some sleep soon," Finally, the man starts to leave. "Don't need you getting hurt in my class! Plus, you look… weird without your hair all done up."

Peanut just gives another soft chuckle as he watches him leave. Yeah, he had to agree. He wasn't exactly used to having to push his hair out of his face every few seconds. It was tiresome. Though, he smiles as he sees Johnny approaching, the same concerned look plastered on his face. He hated making his boss worry, but then again, he was glad he didn't have to go through this all alone.

"Hey, Peanut," He stops in front of the junior, looking him over before giving him a small smile. "How you doin'?"

"Better," he replies, "I actually saw Neil. He said I looked weird without my hair styled."

"Neil's weird," he tells him, a small laugh escaping. "So, do you wanna talk about what happened earlier in the bathroom or…?"

"I'd rather not," He leans against the wall with a slightly somber look. "I just feel like I'm crazy, you know? It's not normal to see these things and I _am._ I hate it."

"I know, man," He's right beside him against the wall, wrapping an arm around him. "But you're not crazy, okay? You're just going through a hard time right now. Heh. Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh on you about school."

"It's not you," He looks up at the senior with a smile. "If anything, you're the only one helping me."

"Well then, I'm glad," He lets go of his friend, before both slowly slide down the wall and sit on the hard cement beneath them. Peanut's legs are up against his chest, arms wrapped around them and Johnny honestly hates seeing him like this. His hair in his face as he stares at the ground blankly. He frowns, looking around. No one's really out, but he does spot a couple bullies in the parking lot. He nudges Peanut's arm, catching his attention.

"I have a date with Lola after school," he starts, and the junior does his best to hide his frown. "But, how about you and I catch a movie tonight? That way it'll give us some time to hang out and get your mind off of things."

"Sure!" His frown is replaced with a childish smile. Spending time out instead of dwelling on his issue was probably what he needed. And when he sees his smile, Johnny returns it. They talk about what to go see and Peanut suggests the new horror movie that recently came out. Of course, the older teen tries to talk him out of it, thinking that a horror movie would only make him panic more, but his friend wasn't budging. He even went so far as to give him those old puppy dog eyes he used to use on him last year to get out of going to class. He finally gives in, of course, laughing as he does so. How could he say no to those eyes?

"I actually thought of going to see that girl in the asylum," Peanut tells him softly, and Johnny looks at him like he's crazy. "I just wanna know what she does whenever she sees anything."

"I don't think it's a good idea," he grumbles softly, "She's in there for a reason, and it even said she can be aggressive. I don't need you coming back to school with scratch marks all over you because some psycho tried taking your eyes out or something."

"She's seeing the same things I'm seeing!" he shoots back, "Johnny, I just want some help. I know you're trying, but you don't know _exactly_ how it feels to be seeing all of these things and wondering if you really _are_ crazy, you know?"

Johnny opens his mouth to say something, but he can't reply. Peanut's right. No matter how much he tried to comfort his friend, he would never know what he went through – never know the fear the junior would feel every time he saw something walking around to coming after him. He could guess, but he could never be spot on because he never went through it. And he just frowns at this point. Johnny was the leader of the clique. He was the one they could all go to for advice on things or for help, but he couldn't really help Peanut in this case. Honestly, he hated that fact. Hated how he couldn't properly help his best friend, because he would agree, it did sound crazy.

"I just want some help," Peanut continues softly, "I know I can't go to anyone else. They'll all say I'm just crazy and send me to Happy Volts. So why not go to someone who's actually going through this?"

Though it still wasn't the best idea the junior ever had, he did have a point. The doctors in Bullworth didn't care, and he knew that Dr. Bambillo wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut about his friend's problem. He would probably just suggest therapy, which he knew Peanut wouldn't be up for, seeing as he didn't even want to talk to _him_ about anything. So, with a small nod, Johnny reaches out to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"You be careful," he tells him, hope-filled brown eyes looking at him. "Don't get too close to her, and you go find one of those orderlies if she tries _anything_ , you hear me?"

"I hear you!" The teen seems happy with his approval, but even then, Johnny could feel something in the pit of his gut. A bad feeling, but he wasn't sure what it was. He didn't know if Peanut would come back feeling worse, or hurt. But, maybe he was just being paranoid. He knew the patients in Happy Volts weren't exactly the friendliest, but maybe he could be lucky.

The bell rings and the two simply move themselves to the garage, since no one really went in there during class. Neither of them wanted to be pestered with questions the greasers might have had about their absence during lunch. Plus, Johnny had agreed to let Peanut skip out on his afternoon class so they could hang out. The senior had math anyways, and he didn't feel like bothering with Hattrick, so he was actually more than happy to spend time with his second-in-command. Peanut was sitting on the table that was set up, slouching forward as he rested his arms on his knees, talking to Johnny with a smile. The senior liked seeing his friend happy. Back when they had met, Peanut was actually 5'1 and often targeted by the bullies, especially seniors who felt like they had nothing to lose. Johnny didn't exactly help, either. He's the one who coined the name after all, but he didn't think the junior knew that. Hopefully he never found out, because it seemed like he hated the nickname with a passion. He didn't know what happened, to be honest. Freshman year, Larry Romano was a short teen, and a couple years later he was standing at 5'8 and sporting a more confident look, rather than the shyer one he had met. He didn't know where those seven inches came from, but he supposed it did his friend some good for his self confidence. He liked seeing him happy, rather than being chased by a couple of bigger kids just because he was too short to defend himself properly. How many fights had he gotten into just to protect him?

They talk about random things, anything to pass the time. Occasionally, Johnny will bring up stories of their past. The people they had met before he had become leader. The other greasers that Peanut were usually too intimidated to talk to unless his friend was around. He commented on how he liked the more confident Peanut better, and honestly, the junior did too. And as the bell rang, Peanut found himself wishing they had more time to talk. Not many knew it, but he loved being around the senior. He felt better about himself. Knowing that he was the king's right-hand man made him feel great about himself and boosted his self confidence. But, he knew Johnny was still hooked to Lola and he wanted to still treat her as his queen. So, they gather their things and head out of the garage. But when they're out, Johnny rests his hands on Peanut's shoulders, staring at him.

"You. Be careful," he tells him, "I don't need you getting hurt."

"I'll be fine, Johnny," he promises, giving him a smile. "What time you wanna go see the movie?"

"How about around nine?" he suggests, "After that, we can go back to my house and hang out."

"Alright! Sounds great!" Johnny releases his hold on his friend, starting to walk off.

"Text me when you're leaving!" he calls, and Peanut just gives him a thumbs up. No longer having Johnny beside him, he feels a lot lonelier. He knew a way to the asylum, but he had never really taken the path, considering none of them ever had a reason to go there. And really, he felt nervous. He didn't know what to expect when he got there, and didn't know what to even say. He just hoped everything would go as smoothly as he wanted.


	8. VII

**~VII~**

The walk through the small, dimly lit tunnel makes Peanut feel uneasy. He plays with the end of his vest, biting to inside of his bottom lip as he stares straight ahead. He knows it's just his mind, but God, it seems like the more steps he takes, the longer the tunnel gets. He starts trying to imagine the patient. What she looked like and how she would act. Of course he was nervous to actually try and ask her about the shadows she saw. He didn't know how she would react, if she even spoke to him.

It takes him about 15 minutes, but Peanut finally makes it out to the other side, finding himself at the side of the asylum. He makes his way around, going to the front and looking at the man by the door.

"Uh… excuse me?" Peanut calls out, catching his attention. "I'm uh… here to see somebody?"

"Hump..." The man walks over, looking him up and down. His eyes lingers on his Bullworth vest, before scanning his face. Peanut inwardly cringes, but doesn't move a muscle. "Alright. Hand me your bag, first. Gotta check it."

Peanut removes his backpack as the old rusted door opens, handing it over to the man and stepping through. He watches him unzip and open it, digging through whatever was inside. His pen knife wasn't in there, was it? No. He left that back at the dorm. Good thing, he supposes. He didn't need the cops after him.

"Nothing in your pockets?" the man asks, and the student shakes his head. "Hmm… very well. Go inside. You can talk to the man to your right. Tell him who you're here to see and give him your name."

"Alright. Thank you," Peanut's given his backpack and he makes his way inside. It's a bit unsettling, to say the least. But, he looks to the man at his right, who seems surprised to see him.

"Can I help you?" His voice is far from friendly, but Peanut forces himself to give a smile.

"I'm here to visit someone," he tells him as confidently as he can, "Is there anything I need to fill out or something?"

"Who's it you're visiting?" he asks. He has to take a moment to think.

"Vyvyan..." Dammit. He forgot her last name, and no matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn't remember. "Vyvyan… something. She's 17? Came in here during the summer?"

"Amber?" That's it. How could he forget that? With a nod, the man rummages through some things behind the desk, before sliding a clipboard and pen through the window, a piece of paper clipped under it. A blank form. "Fill this out, then I'll have Dan escort you to her cell."

"Okay. Thanks," He takes the clipboard and pen, reading over it. Simple things, such as his name, age, and reason for being there. There were also a couple more personal questions, but it wasn't anything he minded filing out. And when he's done, he hands the man the things back. He looks around the little room he's in as the man reads over his form. And after some time, another man walks in, staring down at Peanut with a slightly surprised expression.

"Romano?" he asks, earning a nod. "Cool! I'm Dan. I'll take you to see Vyv."

"Alright," Peanut follows the hefty man throughout the building, and the screaming from the patients makes his skin crawl. The hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and Dan seems to take notice.

"First time here?" he questions. Another nod. "Well, don't let these noises get to you. They're all here for a reason, and not all of them want to accept it."

That doesn't comfort him, but he just nods more, letting the orderly know he's paying attention.

"Vyv's a little quiet when you first meet her," he continues, "but don't worry. She's more bark than bite, ya know? I mean, she's tried to go after people before, but she's calmed down now."

He appreciates how the man talks to him, as if trying to give him some confidence in all of this. He talks nicely about Vyvyan, and he figures it's just so he doesn't freak out. And when they get near cell 4, Dan gives him a smile.

"Vyv! You got a visitor!" He sounds so cheerful as he unlocks the door, slowly opening it. "Don't worry. He's not a doctor."

He looks at Peanut, mouthing a 'good luck' before stepping aside, allowing him in. Peanut looks at the small girl sitting on the old bed, knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Just like how he was during lunch. He takes a step forward, jumping when Dan shuts the door.

"Um… hello?" He looks at the girl, being able to make out some features of her. Her hair is down past her shoulder blades and he notices how knotted and unkempt it is. She's skinny, too, and looks a bit underweight. He frowns, taking a small step forward. "Hey. Vyvyan, right?"

There's a soft grunt in response, but that's all he gets. Her gown is too big and he wonders how she stays warm in this chilly room.

"I wanna talk to you," he continues softly, "Could we talk for a bit?"

"Who are you?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, but it sounds hoarse.

"My name is Larry," He keeps his voice soft and comforting, a small smiling forming. "I'm from Bullworth Academy. I… wanna talk about something kind of important to me."

"The academy?" She seems to perk up at this and finally looks at him, hazel eyes bloodshot and tired looking. She admires his outfit before scooting over, making room on the bed. "I was gonna go to the academy this year, before..."

She goes back to hiding her face, falling silent. So she was going to be attending school with them. That would've been quite the adventure. Both of them going through their troubles together in school, maybe being able to have the same classes.

"It would've been nice to have you there," Peanut tries his best to be nice, still unsure of how she'll act. But, she looks at him again, gesturing her head to the bed.

"You can sit, if you want," she tells him softly, "What did you wanna talk about? If it's that important, I can try to help..."

Once again, he finds himself wondering how to start. He slowly sits on the edge of the bed, shrugging his shoulders. He knew Vyvyan went through the same thing, but he still feels uneasy talking about seeing shadows. It sounded crazy. It made him feel crazy.

"Must be something bad," she speaks, "You don't _have_ to talk about it right away. Take your time."

"It's just hard," he replies, "I'm… seeing things. Like shadows."

"Shadows?" She looks at him, eyes wide in what seemed to be disbelief. "You're seeing shadows, too?"

"Yeah. It's a little hard for me to talk about," He gives her a smile, pulling his legs up onto the bed and crossing them. "It started a few days ago, and it's been freaking me out."

"How bad?" she asks. He shrugs a bit.

"It's not _that_ bad, but I keep having nightmares, too," he tells her, "I've been missing out on sleep and… well, I just wanted to talk to someone who went through the same thing."

Vyvyan nods, and Peanut notices a small smile.

"They all think I'm crazy," she tells him softly, "because I see the same things, too. I know it's hard. I usually see them at night."

"Does it scare you anymore?" She shrugs, looking around the cell.

"Dan's usually around late to talk to me," He's surprised to hear that the orderly is around to help, seeing as most adults were more harsh towards the kids. "He keeps the light on near my room so I don't freak out as much."

"Heh. I'm going to a friend, too," he tells her, "I kinda hate dragging him into it, but he seems to like trying to help."

"Friends should be there no matter what you're going through," She sounds a bit bitter at that statement, slowly uncurling her legs, letting them hang off the edge of the bed. They sit in silence for a bit. Peanut tries to remember the document he read about her. No social skills, but she seemed to be making an attempt.

"Do you have any friends in here?" he asks, and there's just a scoff from the girl.

"The people here are completely out of it," she replies, rolling her eyes. "I'm not crazy, Larry. It's not all in my head like they think it is."

He wants to believe her, honestly. She could just be going through the same thing he was for all he knew. So, he just gives her a smile and a small nod.

"I know, Vyv," He tries to sound as convincing as possible. And by the way she flashes him a quick smile of her own, he figures she gets it. "How about this: we help each other find out how to stop seeing these things, and I'll help you get into Bullworth."

"Really? You'd do that?" She seems so hopeful and he just gives her a happy nod. He figured it would be a good way to repay her if they ever found a way to get rid of the shadows they saw.

They spend their time chatting, and though Peanut's usually the one starting a new conversation, or has to try and keep one going, he finds himself enjoying the girl's company. She had opened up a bit to him and in a way, she reminded him of Johnny. A joker with a bit of a defense to her. Of course, she still had some walls up, but he was happy to at least have her talk in a louder voice, rather than the whisper he had been greeted with. He had even told her about the clique he was with and offered to have her meet them when he got her out of the asylum. She was hesitant at first, but she finally agreed to at least meet Johnny. And in the middle of a conversation about shop that Peanut had brought up, Vyvyan's door opened, Dan standing there with a smile.

"Glad you two are getting along," he speaks, "but visiting time is over now, and it's time for Vyv's meds."

"Oh, okay," Peanut's actually a bit sad to hear it, and by the frown on the girl's face, he knows she is too. But, he smiles. "Ah, when's the next time I can come back and visit?"

"Everyday during the same hours," he replies with a chuckle. This makes him perk up and he turns back to look at Vyvyan.

"I'll be back tomorrow around the same time," he tells her, "See ya later, Vyv."

"Bye, Larry!" Peanut says a small goodbye to Dan, who just gives him a smile and a nod. He leaves the building after signing out, actually feeling pretty good. They had chatted a bit about the shadows they saw, Vyvyan saying that sometimes they would actually get near her and Dan would have to rush in because she would start screaming and panicking. He wondered how they would actually overcome this. Although, on another note, Peanut actually liked hearing her call him by his real name. Of course, adults called him Larry, but hearing another teen use it so casually rather than in a threatening way was a pleasant change.

He makes his way out of the gate, pulling out his phone to check the time. It's almost seven and he's surprised he spent so long in there. At least he killed some time and made a new friend. Sending a text to Johnny telling him he was leaving, Peanut picks up his pace as he walks through the tunnel, still feeling a bit uneasy walking through. He's just thankful he doesn't have another one of his sightings.

Reaching school grounds, Peanut makes his way past the football field, head tilted to the sky as he admired the sunset. He wondered if Norton was on top of the auto shop again looking at this. He had to admit, it was rather pretty, but not exactly something he would waste his time on. He makes his way for the dorm to grab his wallet, and feels his phone vibrate when he reaches the stairs.

 _Johnny: dates over. Wanna grab some food before movie?_

 _Peanut: sure. I'm kinda hungry_

 _Johnny: cool. Meet you by the gates in 5_

He smiles, entering the dorm and going to his room. Lefty's laying on his bed, thumbing through something on his phone. He lifts his head when he hears his friend enter, giving him a smile.

"Hey, Peanut!" he greets happily, "Where have you been?"

"Out," he replies, the sophomore rolling his eyes as he watches him grab his wallet from inside his nightstand's drawer.

"Out where?" he urges, and he just shrugs, putting his weight on one leg as he stares at him.

"Was out meeting someone," he tells him, Lefty looking more interested. "Now, I'm goin' _back out_ to meet Johnny."

"Wait, wait, wait! Who's the someone?" he asks, and he practically looks like one of those girls excited to hear the latest gossip.

"Just someone. That's all you're getting," Peanut starts for the door, smiling as he sees the upset look on his friend's face. "And tell Vance to sleep in _your_ bed if he stays the night in here again. I don't like sharing."

"Ah, whatever, Peanut," The junior chuckles, dodging a crumpled up paper Lefty throws at him. With a wave of his hand, he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him and walking out of the dorm. For once in the past few days, Peanut feels great. Like he was back to his old self. And with a smile on his face, he walks towards the gate, feeling a bit guilty when he sees Johnny already leaning against the wall. But, the senior just gives him a look of relief.

"Glad you're still in one piece," he jokes. Peanut just lets out a soft chuckle. "So I'm guessing it went well?"

"Yeah. She's pretty cool," he tells him as they start to walk towards Old Bullworth Vale. "Not really _that_ talkative, but she was okay, you know?"

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time," Peanut tells him about his conversation with Vyvyan and even meeting Dan. He even tells him about how she was supposed to go to the academy before they locked her up. Peanut did, however, leave out the part of trying to get her into school if she was ever okay enough to be released from the asylum. He figured his boss didn't need to hear that part. Or the part where he planned on going back tomorrow to talk to her a bit more.


	9. VIII

**~VIII~**

Burgers is practically a ghost town as Johnny and Peanut enter through the double doors. The only person there is a man in the kitchen, mumbling something incoherently to himself. Johnny leads his friend to a booth beside a window, both taking a seat across from each other. And as he sits down, he notices the everlasting smile on Peanut's face. He can't help but match it.

"You seem like you're in a good mood," he comments, "Haven't seen you this happy in a while."

"That's because everything is like it's back to normal!" he replies with enthusiasm, looking like a child on Christmas morning. "I feel happy, I'm hanging out with my best friend, we're gonna be seeing the newest horror movie; why wouldn't I be in a good mood? Plus, the visit with Vyv went great!"

"Yeah, I hear ya," he chuckles as he crosses his arms. He loves seeing Peanut like this. Normally, he would retain this "tough guy" act around the clique, acting like a proper second-in-command. But Johnny always got to see his true colors when it was just them and boy, did he miss seeing his friend act like a hyperactive child. It was a great change from how he had been acting lately.

They sit there for a while, chatting about whatever came to mind and making jokes about various students around school, along with a couple teachers. The man from the kitchen comes out to take their orders, but he's short with conversation and not too friendly. Of course Johnny has to give the worker some sass for that, and Peanut can't help but snicker. They get a simple order, just burgers and some fries. The two figure it's best to get some cheaper food, rather than waste their money on popcorn they probably would've ended up throwing around or accidentally spilling on the floor.

It takes a bit, but they finally get their food, Peanut's mouth practically watering at the sight of it. He hadn't really eaten too much fast food lately, living off of snacks and whatever food the school would supply, no matter how disgusting. Of course he stayed clear of Edna's food, but the other little things they set out was decent enough. And the burger in front of him was pretty much a godsend right now. Honestly, anything was better than the chips and little sandwiches he was getting from Yum Yum Market.

They eat in silence, mainly focused on the food. The burgers are gone quick, and when they get to the fries, Johnny smiles at his friend.

"How's 'bout we take these to go?" he suggests, "Hide 'em in our jackets and have something during the movie?"

"Sounds great!" The two grab the little cardboard filled with the fries and tuck it into the inside of their pockets, making sure it'll survive the walk over to the theater. Johnny throws down enough money to pay for the meal, telling Peanut that it's his treat and in return, he can buy the tickets. The junior happily agrees. He wasn't always up for someone just buying him things and doing nothing in return. It never felt right.

They walk down to the theater, Peanut looking up at the night sky. The stars seemed so bright tonight, and it was so pretty. He liked nights like this. Hanging out with his boss just like old times. He feels a bit excited when they near their destination. He hadn't exactly gone out to see a movie in quite a while. And with everything that had gone on, he figured it's exactly what he needed. Johnny seemed to be happy about hanging out with him, too.

Peanut contains his excitement long enough to calmly buy the tickets and thank the man behind the counter, handing Johnny his ticket as they make their way inside. After being told what theater their movie would be in, Peanut finds himself eyeing the candy that's being sold. Johnny notices this, too, and starts laughing.

"You want something, Peanut?" he questions, "Aren't the fries enough?"

"Maybe something for later!" he tells him, walking forward and looking at all of the different types of sweets they have. Johnny falls in with him, and the two end up caving and buying multiple boxes and bags of chocolates and even some little chocolate covered ice cream. They aren't really expensive, but Johnny quietly kicks himself for buying extra snacks when they still had their fries in their jackets. But, whenever he looks over and sees Peanut's excited expression, he figures he can shut his mouth for once and let his friend enjoy the night, especially after everything that he's been going through. So he holds a small smile on his face as they make their way for the theater, which is already dark with a preview ending. Johnny leads the way up the stairs, quietly telling his friend to be careful so he wouldn't fall. And when they make it to the top, he takes his seat in the corner, the junior right next to him. To their surprise, there aren't many people in there. Maybe 15 at the most, and for a moment, Peanut hopes it's not because the movie is horrible. He liked spending time with Johnny, but he didn't want to see something incredibly boring or cheesy.

They sit through several previews, already having opened and finished off the box of the ice cream, and had eaten their cold fries. Some of the upcoming movies look good, and Johnny even comments about how they should go see one. Peanut's more than happy to agree, and as the movie starts, the two quiet themselves. The starting of the film is slow, and Peanut finds himself hating every second of it. He even slowly starts to doze off, only to jump when a loud, booming noise comes from the movie. Johnny snickers slightly, an upset expression on the younger teen's face. They don't say anything about it and go back to the movie, Peanut attempting to actually pay attention to whatever is going on. Something about a girl running from a crazed murderer? He wasn't exactly sure. Maybe they should've chose another movie to watch?

They're about half an hour into the movie before Peanut's eyes start looking around, watching as some late comers practically jog to some empty seats. And even though he always feels a little bit of panic whenever he sees a dark figure pass by, he tells himself it's just another person coming in late. Johnny seems to take notice every time he tenses up, and is quick to lay a hand on his arm, reminding him that he's there. It seems to help, and he usually gets a smile in return. A part of him wonders if he'll ever get over it. Maybe sometime down the line.

By the time the movie ends, Johnny's left his hand on his friend's arm, giving a gentle squeeze anytime he felt him jump, whether it was from the movie or from someone moving in the rows below them. It seemed to help, and he even got a few thanks for it. Though they weren't needed, it was nice to hear some appreciation. And when the credits start to roll, the two get up and make their way down the stairs, leaving the empty boxes of what they had bought. Of course, they made sure to save a few for when they got back to Johnny's house.

"I'm sorry the movie was bad," Peanut chuckles as they start their walk home.

"It wasn't _that_ bad," he replies with a smile, "It just… wasn't that good."

The two share a small laugh, continuing the rest of their journey in silence. They don't see too many other students out, aside from a few delinquents here and there. And when they get home, curfew's nearly begun and Johnny's house is still lit up. This wasn't exactly a good sign, considering the senior's parents went to bed at an early hour. But when Peanut sees Mr. Vincent, a tall and built man that looked similar to Johnny, he feels the wave of anxiety rush over him. The judgmental glare practically made him cave in on himself and he slowly makes his way behind Johnny, subconsciously hiding himself behind the older teen like he used to do back in freshman year.

"It's late," Mr. Vincent's voice is far from welcoming like Johnny's mother. "Past curfew, ain't it?"

Peanut wants his friend to respond calmly, but by how he's pulling out his phone, he knows he's in for a ride. At the thought of this, he takes a step back, mentally preparing himself for what's ahead.

"Hmm… by the looks of the time," Johnny starts, his voice snide as he looks a the time with half-lidded eyes. "it ain't 11 yet. Still got a few minutes, pop."

"Don't talk to me like that!" he snaps, turning his attention to the cowering Peanut. "And you! Why are _you_ here?!"

"I uh..." Of course, Johnny has to defend his friend again as he takes a step towards his father.

"We're hanging out," he tells him, trying his best to sound nonchalant, but the defensive tone does shine through. "Figured it wouldn't be safe to let him walk back to New Coventry at this hour."

"I'm sure he can handle it," Peanut frowns when the man looks him up and down. "Maybe not. He is kind of small."

"Oh, leave him alone!" Mrs. Vincent finally steps in, giving her husband a small smack on his shoulder. "You know Larry's always welcome here!"

"Larry? _That's_ his name?" he chuckles, "I thought you were that Norton kid he mentioned!"

"Norton's not an Italian," she reminds him, crossing her arms over her chest. "But it doesn't matter who he is! He's welcome here anytime!"

Mr. Vincent rolls his eyes, and the two bicker back and forth. Finding this to be the time to leave, Johnny reaches back to grab Peanut's hand and lead him to his room, shutting the door once inside.

"Sorry 'bout that," he grumbles softly, "I know my dad isn't the nicest guy ever."

"It's fine!" The junior gives him a smile. "I know I keep coming over here without either of them knowing."

"Well yeah, but you heard my mom!" Johnny looks at him with a warm smile. "You're always welcome here! So if you don't feel like dealing with Lefty and that dorm, or the tenement, just text me and come over!"

"Thanks, Johnny," They take off their jackets, Johnny hanging his in the closet before laying on his bed. Peanut just folds his and lays it on an empty spot on Johnny's, going to lay beside him after.

"You hear 'bout there being a new kid?" Johnny asks, staring at the ceiling. Peanut just shakes his head.

"Not until now," he replies, "Anyone know what he's gonna be like?"

"Nah. Not yet," Bullworth didn't get too many students, but Peanut did notice a small increase in teens this year. It started over the summer, and the two teens Bullworth got for students was none other than Gary Smith and Peter Kowalski. Peanut didn't really talk to them too much, aside from a couple words to Peter since they had art together and sat next to each other. But other than that, he figured there wasn't any reason to get all friendly with them if Johnny never said to. But a new kid? He wondered what he had done to be sent to their school.

They lay there for a while, and the talk of a new student dies down, slowly turning into stupid stories they had went through, along with people. Though they both grew up in Bullworth, the two had met different people before becoming friends, especially Peanut. He had been a non-clique student until his sophomore year when he had met Johnny in math class, and from there he slowly got on his way to being more confident in himself. But he did easily recall the times he had spoken to the other non-clique students and interacted with them. Johnny also had stories of his old friends that Peanut hadn't met, or hadn't really had the honor of being involved in crazy adventures with.

The two talk for a while before Peanut ends up dozing off, Johnny pulling the covers over his friend to keep him warm throughout the night. After giving him a soft pat on the shoulder, he rolls onto his side and, making sure his alarm was set for the morning, closes his eyes with his arms loosely crossed and legs bent upward just a bit.


	10. IX

**~IX~**

 _Peanut looks around, the soft breeze flowing through his hair. He's at the beach, and looking down, he notices his leather jacket is missing, along with his shoes and socks. He lets his toes bury in the sand, shivering slightly at the cool feeling. The sun's going down, and he finally spots Johnny a few yards from him, bending over and grabbing something. With a smile, Peanut moves himself and goes over to his friend._

" _Whatcha find?" he asks when he gets close. Johnny looks up, and with a smile he hands him the item he's picked up._

" _Sand dollar for your thoughts?" he jokes, making him laugh. "When was the last time you went to the beach, Larry? You seem so… out of it."_

" _Larry?" He's almost confused. When was the last time he had called him his real name in a casual conversation. Though, Johnny just furrows his brows, keeping his smile._

" _That's your name, ain't it?" he questions. Of course it is, but what happened to the nickname? That's when Peanut notices it. He's back to his shorter height, his hair not styled into the familiar pompadour. His jacket is missing because he's not a greaser yet. He's being called by his real name because he hasn't acquired his nickname yet. He's back to the first day Johnny had hung out with him._

" _Yeah! Sorry, just…" he pauses for a moment, looking around. The middle of September and it's getting late. "Yeah, I am sort of out of it."_

" _C'mon, you ain't gotta worry about anything," he tells him calmly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "_ _Let's walk around a bit more, yeah?"_

 _Peanut gives him a nod as he follows Johnny down the shoreline. He does wonder where his shoes went, but he figures it's back on the dock. Hopefully no one takes them. They talk about things, mainly their math class and home life. Peanut has to admit, he seems to have a calmer life than Johnny, seeing as the sophomore had told him about his temperamental father_ _who had got into arguments with. Peanut had his own share of argument stories, seeing as his mother could be very hard on him with school, but it wasn't anything that would escalate into screaming matches like Johnny had made it out to be._

 _They keep along the shore before reaching the lighthouse, a couple preps over in the corner chatting away. They don't pay any attention to them, but Johnny finally stops walking, going to look back at him. Brown eyes stare at him as his stance becomes more lax,_ _and almost distorted_ _looking. Slowly but surely he notices his friend's eyes change to a dull, whitish color and his skin becomes more pale and rotten. Taking a few steps back, Peanut watches in horror as the_ _sophomore_ _changes before him._

" _J-Johnny?" His voice, shaky and fearful, seems to be the only noise now. The water's stopped moving and the wind is silent. And when he stops changing, Johnny looks like a zombie straight out of a horror movie. The teen rushes at him, a shriek erupting from Peanut as he flails his limbs at his attacking friend, screaming at him to leave him alone. Johnny's movements, though more sloppy, are still filled with the power he had grown to know in the future. It's no surprise that he's on the ground within seconds, his boss on top of him and grabbing for his throat._

He's jolted awake when Johnny starts calling his name, shaking his shoulder violently. Through the darkness he can make out the worried expression and honestly Peanut can't help but feel a wave of relief wash over him. His friend was, of course, back to his normal self.

"God, what happened?" he asks, turning on the lamp beside his bed to stare at the junior. "Another nightmare?"

"Yeah, sorry," He feels silly. Acting like that and waking Johnny up. He didn't know what time it was, but by judging the night sky still out, it's probably the early morning. But, he sees a smile on his friend's face.

"No problem," He crosses his legs and sits up properly. "You wanna tell me what it was about?"

"Remember when we first hung out? At the beach?" Johnny nods. "We were back there. Everything was the same. Then when we got to the lighthouse, you started to… change. Like into a zombie or something. It was weird, and then you started to attack me."

"Peanut, I would never hurt you," He knows this. Johnny did show hesitation in their friendship when they first met, but after he got over his paranoia, they were inseparable. "You're my best friend. Hell, if I still had any doubt about you, I wouldn't be trying to help you."

"I know. Thanks, Johnny," The senior nods as he goes to lay back down, turning the light off again. Peanut stays awake for a bit before going to lay back down on his side. Although, his eyes travel to the closet and he stiffens when he sees the silhouette of a torso. But the longer he stares at it, the realization hits him. It's just Johnny's stupid jacket that he hung up when they got home. Rolling his eyes and frowning, he forces himself back to sleep, hoping he won't have another nightmare.

Morning comes too fast and he groans when Johnny's alarm goes off. The senior is quick to hit the snooze a couple times, but after the fourth alarm Johnny sits up. Rubbing his eyes to rid himself of sleep, he reaches over to wake his friend.

"Time to get up," he grumbles. Peanut just groans and cuddles himself further into the comforter he's balled up during the night. With a smile, Johnny reaches out and yanks the covers away from his friend, and he's awarded with another protest groan.

"I don't wanna get up," he complains, "I finally got some decent sleep!"

"You can continue it later," he tells him as he gets out of bed. "Same routine today?"

"Yeah, sure," Johnny leaves with a couple towels in hand and Peanut goes to lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. Last night comes back to him and he chuckles softly. That damn jacket. It's still hanging in the same spot, too. How silly. Sitting up, he reaches over to grab his phone, turning it on. 7:20 and he's still tired. The clique's up though, and it seems like Hal and Norton are arguing over the best foods for dinner while Ricky is practically begging them to stop. He just smiles, going to type in his own message.

 _Peanut: cereal is the best and everyone knows i_ _t_

Of course, it sparks a larger and hotter debate, but he just smiles. Vance has gotten involved now, throwing in his own opinion and making it worse. By now, Peanut's set his phone down, letting it blow up as he stretches. He swings his legs over the side of the bed, going to stand up and look out the window. Clouds have rolled in during the night, and it's become rather chilly in the room. A shiver runs up his spine and through his body as he makes his way for the dresser, grabbing his jacket. He wonders how Vyvyan keeps herself warm in that asylum.

He doesn't leave Johnny's room this time. He can't hear anyone else in the house other than his friend in the shower, anyways, so there goes his hope for a decent breakfast. They did still have some snacks, didn't they? Yeah. Rummaging through the small plastic bag he had tucked away, he happily pulls out a box of gummy worms he had bought the previous night. Not exactly the most healthy thing for a morning meal, but he figures it's better than whatever slop he'll get at Bullworth or Yum Yum Market. Besides, they were one of his favorite snacks.

By the time he finishes, Johnny's returned to the room, looking at him with a frown when he spots the empty box in his friend's hand.

"That's not healthy, Peanut," he tells him, "We have food in the kitchen, you know?"

"Yeah, but I didn't wanna just take anything," he replies, "Besides, I don't know where anything is and I'm not the best at cooking."

"Guess it's better than burning my place down," he chuckles, gesturing his head towards the door. "Go on. Take a shower and I'll see if we got any frozen waffles in the freezer."

"Thanks, Johnny," He slides past his friend, entering the bathroom. The heat makes him smile as he takes his jacket off once more, folding it and putting it on the counter. He then strips himself of his clothes and makes his way into the tub, turning on the shower. It feels like hell as the water hits him, too hot in its current state. Jumping back and mentally cursing Johnny for having it too far to the left, he does his best to change the temperature without getting under the stream of water. And when it's to his liking, he lets himself back in contact with it, a soft and blissful sigh escaping his lips. He washes his body, taking his time as he thinks back to the day he had first spent time with Johnny. Back then, he was so intimidated by the greaser. He had sat in front of him for his freshman year and he always felt nervous handing back papers, especially when his head was down and he was trying to sleep. He was always scared he would lash out at him for interrupting whatever he was doing. Thankfully, he never did. Peanut smiles. Johnny never did really change, aside from his earring. He had gotten that the middle of his junior year, if he remembered correctly. Dragged Peanut with him to the shop, and even encouraged him to get one as well. He never thought he would look good with an earring, though.

He takes a while in the shower before finishing up, running his hands through his hair and squeezing the excess water out. Pulling the curtain back, he grabs the towel and dries himself off, stepping out and onto the mat. He admires himself in the mirror and frowns. He looks worse than yesterday, and his eyes are getting darker and the color looks like it's slowly draining. Where in God's name did that bruise on his shoulder come from as well? He reaches up to gently touch it, wincing when he makes contact. It's so sore. Did Johnny hit him in his sleep? He wouldn't be surprised. Oh well. At least no one will be able to see it. Pushing his hair out of his face, he throws his clothes on and leaves the bathroom, leaving the door open so it can cool off. He makes his way back into Johnny's room, throwing the towel in the hamper and going to use his friend's cologne. After putting it back, he grabs his phone and goes into the kitchen, smiling as he sees Johnny finishing up with the waffles.

"There you are!" He smiles at the junior, passing him a plate with a small stack. "Was wonderin' if you had gotten lost."

"Nah, just had to put the towel away," He leans against the counter, thanking his friend as he picks up the fork to start eating. They eat in silence for a while, both occasionally looking at the clock to make sure they'll have enough time to get to school. And then they're done, they throw their dishes in the sink, Johnny telling him that he'll get to it when he gets home.

They're out of the house after grabbing their backpacks, Johnny locking the door and walking beside him down the street with his hands in his pockets. It's quiet this morning, not many people out. He wonders if it's because it's cold and everyone's pushing the time in order to stay inside. That's something he would've liked. It doesn't help that he didn't bring an umbrella, either. If worse came to worse, though, he could always just put his backpack over his heard and hightail it to his dorm room.

Getting onto campus, Johnny follows his friend into the boy's dorm and into his room, spotting Lefty still asleep on his bed. As Peanut styled his hair, the leader walked over and, with the force of a bus, shoved him off the bed. The sophomore let out a shout, breathing heavily as he picked himself up, his roommate laughing as he watched him.

"Johnny! What the hell?!" he cries, looking at the grinning teen.

"Good morning," His hands are back in his pockets, his grin getting wider as he stumbles to stand on his own. "It's almost time for class. What're you doin' still asleep?"

"I stayed up late last night," he confesses in a grumble, "Guess I slept through my alarm."

"Lucky we were here, then!" Lefty puts on his jacket, following his friends out of the room with his bag slung over his shoulder and pretty much dragging his feet. They make their way for the auto shop, seeing the rest of the group already there, along with Lola. She's chatting with Hal, Vance and Norton, who seem to be continuing the conversation about food they were having this morning. Ricky keeps his mood as well, eyes narrowed with a frown on his face as he listens to them, arms crossed over his chest. Though, Lola perks up when she sees her lover walk up.

"Hey, Johnny!" she greets. Of course, Johnny goes to be by her, arms around her waist as he pecks her lips. Peanut fights the frown from his face, but he notices how much lonelier he's gotten. Though Lefty is still standing with him, he feels like he's missing so much more without his boss by his side. But, he can't let this be known. Instead of sitting there a moping, he goes over to the little group of his friends, Lola having moved away to be with Johnny. Lefty follows as well, interested in what they're talking about.

"No way! Chocolate is _so_ much better!" he argues, Vance rolling his eyes. "Vanilla cake just lacks taste that the chocolate gives it!"

"Chocolate makes it too rich," he replies, "I wanna eat cake _with_ the icing and not feel sick afterwards."

"You don't always get sick," he shoots back, and both Peanut and Lefty watch them with confused smiles. "Lefty! What do you think is better? Chocolate or vanilla cake?"

"Cake is cake, you know?" he chuckles, hands in his pockets. "It's all good, especially if it's free."

"… he's got a point," Vance speaks, looking at his hefty friend, who just rolls his eyes. Peanut listens to them bicker a bit more, before Norton taps his shoulder, looking concerned.

"You okay?" he asks, keeping his voice down. They move away from the little group, Peanut staring up at him. "You don't look so good, man."

"What do you mean?" Of course Peanut knows what he's talking about. His pale skin and darker, duller eyes. But Norton just frowns at his response.

"I know you're not blind," he starts, "You look like you're stressed and haven't slept in a while. What's goin' on?"

"I've just been having nightmares," he confesses, "Wake up and can't go back to sleep, ya know? I guess it's been catching up with me."

"Nightmares? Like what?" For a moment, Peanut considers telling him what's going on and what he's seeing. He knew of Norton's softer side, and though he was decently close with the older teen, he couldn't bring himself to tell him of the shadows. He doesn't want him involved in any of it.

"Just stupid stuff," he chuckles nervously, "Like it's scary in the moment, but it's stupid when I wake up. It's fine." Norton goes to speak, but Peanut shakes his head. "I'm fine, really."

"If you say so, man," He doesn't seem convinced, but he reaches out to lay a hand on his shoulder. "Just know that we're all here if you need help."

"I know. Thanks, Norton," He gives him a smile and the bell rings. Everyone parts, going to their respective classes. Peanut doesn't even get to say goodbye to Johnny, seeing as he walks Lola to class and doesn't even acknowledge the rest of the clique. It's not a surprise, it's the same thing he does whenever his girlfriend is around in the morning. But it still never makes him feel any better when he watches his boss walk off with some tart and disregard the whole group.


	11. X

**~X~**

It's art this morning and Peanut takes his seat closest to the door. He takes out the old sketchbook from his backpack, the spine worn down along with the edges. He flips through a few pages he had sketched in, the lead having smeared a bit. Most of them were of Miss Phillips, a common thing she wanted her students to draw. He wondered if she just enjoyed seeing herself in the eyes of the teens, but he wasn't exactly sure.

He sits back comfortably in his chair, pretending to listen to the woman as she speaks about an upcoming assignment. He can see Pinky out of the corner of his eye falling asleep and he has to admit, he feels the same way. He still couldn't sleep throughout the night without waking up from stupid nightmares. But even now he couldn't bring himself to take a nap. He already knows what's going to happen by now. He'll either wake up even more tired, or he'll have yet another nightmare that will terrorize him, this time not having Johnny to wake him up. So he just sits there, blankly staring at his sketchbook that's been opened to an empty page. He fiddles with the pencil in his hand, absentmindedly flipping it around in his fingers. Finally Miss Phillips stops talking and he looks around. He assumes it's a free day, seeing as most of the students are on their phones or chatting. Looking back down at his sketchbook, he stops playing with his pencil and starts to draw.

Quick meaningless strokes slowly come together, and though he barely knows what he's doing, he finds himself with a sketch of a tired old man straightening his tie. He honestly doesn't know how he did it. He just wanted to scribble to pass the time, but looking at it longer, he bites his bottom lip. The old man is the one he's been seeing. His once bored and carefree expression turns into an almost worried one, and he curses himself for even drawing when Miss Phillips takes notice of him.

"Larry? Is something wrong?" she asks softly as she walks over. He doesn't have time to hide his book before she catches sight of his sketch. "Oh! That's wonderful!"

"Thank you, miss," He lets her take it from him, admiring it even closer.

"You never cease to amaze me, Larry," After getting her fill of the drawing, she finally hands it back, though he notices how she admires his face. "Don't stay up too late practicing drawing."

"Will do, ma'am," She walks away and he knows exactly what she's talking about. With a quiet sigh he closes the book and puts it back in his backpack, throwing his pencil in after it. With a glance at his phone to find no new messages and an hour left in class, he puts his head down on top of his crossed arms, staring at the wall in front of him. Various paintings hang before him, some of still life and some of Miss Phillips. His eyes grow heavy as he sits there and he lets out a yawn. Just as he's about to fall asleep his phone vibrates, making him jump. He slowly takes it out, looking at the notification.

 _Johnny: date w/ lola after school and-_

The full message isn't visible, but Peanut's already rolling his eyes. Two days in a row and he wonders if Lola is jealous with how much time they've been spending together. But he unlocks his phone anyways, continuing on with the text.

 _Johnny: -I won't be going to ten. If you need anything tonight, text_

 _Peanut: will do. Have fun_

He groans softly as he puts his phone away. Hopefully he wouldn't need to text Johnny later, seeing as he hadn't seen anything recently. Although he would miss his boss' company. He had gotten so used to being with him these past few days, but he did assume he wouldn't be with him all the time and that he should try facing these things on his own. However, he does think about it all. The shadows and nightmares. Maybe he could find something to read? He pulls out his phone, feeling like one of those townies with a jumpy habit. But he unlocks it and goes to the search engine, typing away his problems. Scrolling through the articles, he frowns. None of them are of any help and all of them just say to consult a doctor about insomnia or mental problems. He humors himself and even reads through some of them. Of course none of them are any help and he just rolls his eyes. The one place he thought he could find some type of advice for the moment, and it let him down. With another sigh he tries looking up ways to get rid of nightmares, only to see other useless articles. Most just say to increase exercise and eat healthy, along with decreasing stress. Well, he did get a decent amount of exercise since he walked around Bullworth and usually rode his bike. He probably could eat better food, but was he really stressed? Not until all of this started happening. With a soft sigh he sits there, thinking about the past week. How did it all go wrong? Everything was fine up until he had taken those pictures. Was it because he beat himself up for that one photo? He didn't think so. Wouldn't those nightmares be of him ruining things, instead of being attacked or dying? He doesn't know.

The rest of his time is spent looking through more useless articles that say the same thing. By the time the bell rings he's gone through a few useless pages on the search engine and through more links that he skimmed through with a blank expression. But when class is over, he turns his phone off and puts it away, grabbing his backpack and leaving the classroom. Chatter fills the halls and he finds it rather annoying, trying to tune it out as he made his way down the stairs. He hesitates, though, as he gets to the bottom, looking towards the cafeteria. Normally he would spend his break with the clique but today he felt like spending time away from them. Maybe it was because Norton had taken notice of his change and he didn't want the others to realize it as well, or hear the greaser tell the others about Peanut's new look. So, with a deep breath, he goes left and out the back door by the chemistry room. He knew where he was going, though he didn't fully want to. And on the way, he was constantly looking around, the surprised looks almost getting to them. He would just shoot the other students a glare and that made them look away.

The library makes his skin crawl but he forces himself inside, surprised and almost horrified expressions greet him, especially from Gord, a prep who often spent his time in the library reading books about laws and things of the sort, most likely preparing himself for law school like he had bragged about going to after Bullworth. But, Peanut ignores them, going further inside and looking around the books stacked neatly on the shelves. The old worn spines greet him as he reads over the titles. He doesn't know what he's looking for, either, only that he wants to find something that explains to him what's going on and how he can fix it. He must have searched for a bit before he notices Cornelius inching his way towards him.

"What do you want?" Peanut growls as he glares the nerd, who emits a small squeak.

"S-salutations, Peanut!" he greets, a nervous smile on his face as he twiddles his thumbs. "I haven't seen you in here much. Is there something you're looking for?"

He gets ready to shoot back with a nasty remark only to stop himself. Right. Cornelius was one of the smartest students in Bullworth, even to the nerds standing. Maybe his luck was going to change and he changes his demeanor, forcing a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, actually. There is," He glances back at the books before back to the slim nerd. "I'm trying to find something that maybe helps with constant nightmares and hallucinations?"

Cornelius stares at him, almost in shock. Larry "Peanut" Romano, second-in-command to the greaser clique, had actually replied to him a calmer and non-hostile tone. He beams at this point, hands clasped together as he lips curl into a large smile. He nods his head quickly, leading him to another bookcase. He grabs a few books, letting the greaser hold them as he continues to look. After finding no other books that seem to interest him, he leads him over to an empty table, sitting down. Peanut sits across from him, looking at the books.

"So, these are gonna help?" he questions, taking one of the blue colored books, opening it to the first page and looking through the paragraphs.

"They should," Cornelius stares at him, admiring his face and Peanut frowns. "What's been going on?"

He sits there for a moment in silence and wonders what he should tell the younger teen. Finally, though, he lets out a sigh, running a hand through his styled hair.

"Just been having nightmares," he grumbles, "It's been going on for about the past week and I've been losing sleep over it."

"And you're having hallucinations because of it?" He nods slowly and Cornelius looks up at ceiling in thought. "What were you doing before the nightmares started? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"No. I was just taking pictures for photography," he tells him, "Then I felt like I was getting sick, so I went back to the dorm and took a nap. And that's when everything happened."

"Well… there is something that is thought to help," he starts, "Some people keep around this herb – sage – to give them better dreams. I'm not sure if it works, but it's worth a try. You can try to read these books in the meantime before you find some."

"Yeah, thanks," He takes another glance at the books on the table. "Do you know where to find some?"

"I'd say try online," he chuckles softly, "I don't think Bullworth has any just laying around."

"Alright," With a small goodbye and a wave of his hand, Cornelius is gone. Peanut just sits there, thinking over his conversation. Sage, huh? He hadn't really ever thought of that, mainly because he didn't really know it existed. But, he smiles slightly. Maybe he would look online after his visit today.

Checking out the books and thanking Mrs. Carvin, he shoves them in his backpack and makes his way out of the library, the buzzing of his phone catching his attention. Pulling it out, he's surprised to see it's from Johnny.

 _Johnny: where'd you go for lunch? We missed you_

 _Peanut: went to library_

 _Johnny: you a nerd now? Why ditch us for that place?_

 _Peanut: wanting to find books on nightmares and stuff. Learned some things_

 _Peanut: I might get some sage. it's supposed to help_

 _Johnny: crazy. we'll look into it later. Be on time to class_

 _Peanut: will do_

He pockets his phone and makes his way towards the dorm, going to his room to throw his backpack down on his bed. Of course he wasn't going to class like Johnny had wanted. He still had that "appointment" at the asylum. He grabs his packet of cigarettes and his lighter from his nightstand and puts them in his inner jacket's pocket, leaving the dorm and making his for the football field, where the trail would lead him to the old tunnels. The bell rings on his way over and he quickens his pace, not wanting to be caught by any of the prefects patrolling the campus. And when he gets onto the pathway to the asylum, he takes out a cigarette and lights it up, taking a long drag. He can only hope that today's visit goes well.


	12. XI

**~XI~**

" _It's advised that you don't get out of bed after 10:30. We'll see you in the morning."_

 _Peanut stares down at his phone, the automated message of his voicemail listing off commands for the only recording he currently had. A woman's voice, unrecognizable to him, had just given him clear instructions to stay in his bed after a certain time. She sounded so weird, though. Almost like she was robotic. What's worse is that when he was about to call the number back, his phone lost all reception, making it useless. Cursing to himself, he lays back on the plush bed. He doesn't exactly know where he is, but judging the layout of the room, it's more than likely a motel. Was this the one by the school? No. This layout is too nice for the In-And-Out Motel._

 _He's constantly checking his phone, hoping for a signal or text from one of his friends. Of course, it never comes. With a sigh, he rests his arms over his eyes, phone still clenched firmly in his hand. He feels a chill go throughout his body, the sudden breeze finally getting to him. With half-lidded eyes, he turns his head to look at the open window, the curtains blowing with the night air. When did that open? Or was it always open?_

 _Hesitating, he sits up. With one last unsuccessful check of his phone, he stands up and walks over to the window. He looks out, finding a parking lot mostly vacant, save for a lone car parked a couple spots away from his door. He feels uneasy looking out, the flickering street light currently being the only thing that illuminated the road, a thick forest resting just beyond the street. He's not in his home town, that's for sure. And as he closes the window and locks it, he can swear he feels someone watching him. As quick as a flash, he throws the curtains over the windows, desperate to keep himself hidden from whatever is out there. He backs away from the window, his heartbeat slowly increasing. He doesn't feel safe._

 _He lays back down on the bed, feeling like a child as he keeps the light on as he closes his eyes. The feeling hasn't gone away and he takes a look behind himself, making sure he's truly alone. When he finds no one in sight, he turns back over, looking at the clock. 10:27 at night. That lady had told him not to leave his bed after a certain time, and he wonders why. But he tries to push the thought, and the feeling, away as he closes his eyes in an attempt to sleep._

 _Not even five minutes into him trying to rest and he hears it. Soft but guttural breathing. It's in his room and he can feel himself panic. Without thought, his eyes snap open and he's greeted with nothing in front of him. It doesn't stop the sound of the breathing, though. His fear increases and he tries his best to calm down, breathing in and out as slowly as he can. It doesn't help. Nothing helps. And in a fit of panic, he flings himself up, jumping from the edge of the bed. He doesn't even get a step away when something is grasping his pant leg, keeping him in one spot. He lets out a shriek as he falls, his hand reaching out to catch onto the nearest thing – a spare bed right by his. Strange enough, the covers he had a hold of felt different. Leather. But he was wearing his jacket and had a hold on a blanket, not anything that would feel like that._

 _Whatever has a hold of his leg seemed to be pulling every time he went to move, and because of this he tries pulling himself towards the bed in front of him, panicking even more. The room begins to shake and he feels more hands on him, gripping his shoulders with a force he's familiar with._

"Peanut!" The hushed but aggressive voice wakes him from his sleep and he jumps awake, finding himself in the arms of Ricky. He looks at the greaser, his hand holding onto his leather jacket with such a force he's surprised he hasn't ripped the damn thing yet. That's why he felt leather when he was holding onto the bed. He's practically trembling as he stares at his friend, trying to remember where he is.

"Hey, it's okay," Peanut sits there, slowly letting go of the jacket as he calms down. He's in the tenement, having come over on his way back from his visit at the asylum. With a few deep breaths, he nods, removing himself from the fellow greaser and sitting back, putting his head in his hands. He felt horrible, especially for waking someone up.

"Sorry," he grumbles softly, "Just had a nightmare."

"Yeah, no kiddin'," Ricky reaches over, going to remove Peanut's pant leg from a loose nail in the floorboards. That must've been the thing he was feeling in his dream. He feels so silly. "You wanna talk about it or somethin'?"

"Nah, man," Through the darkness, he gives him a smile. "Thanks for waking me up, though."

"You had a hold of my jacket," he replies, "Thought you were dying or something."

"Felt like I was gonna," He says the last part so quietly he doubts his friend hears it, watching as he lays back down on the old mattress they're sharing with the others. He sits there, knees up to his chest as he wraps his arms around his legs, looking over at his friends. They all have their upper bodies on the mattress, Norton practically sprawled out at the bottom and taking up all of the room. He smiles slightly, turning his attention to their leader. He can make out Johnny's peaceful face in the dim light from the broken window and he feels envious of him. How he can sleep throughout the night without waking up from nightmares. He sighs softly, going to stand up, the packet of cigarettes in his hand. After that fright he definitely needs a smoke.

Outside is calm, the wind rustling through his pompadour. He yawns as he goes to bring a cigarette up to his lips, lighting it with the lighter he had snagged from Johnny when he got back into New Coventry. He feels better as he takes a long drag, trying his damnedest to blow out smoke circles. He had never really been good at it, although Lefty was pretty much a pro at doing tricks. He figured it was because he smoked liked a chimney. He's not halfway through his cigarette when he feels a hand on his shoulder, making him jump violently. He looks back, the senior smiling down at him.

"Another bad dream?" Johnny questions, holding out his hand. Peanut gives him a sheepish smile, handing over the packet of cigarettes and his lighter.

"Yeah," He turns away, looking at the brick walls before them. "I was really hopin' it would go away."

"Just hang in there," Johnny takes a drag, handing the packet back to him. "I'm sure everything will go back to normal soon."

"Hopefully."

That's how it went for the next couple weeks. Peanut, feeling bad for invading his friend's home so much, forced himself to stay in his dorm room at night. He also had a habit of skipping his afternoon classes to go to the asylum, providing he didn't have any classes with any other greasers. And whenever they questioned his whereabouts when he did see them, he made up some excuse about either not feeling well or being too tired to go meet them at the cafeteria. For a while, it worked out and everything was going his way. Until a certain Wednesday rolled around.

Dan had ended his visit with Vyvyan a couple minutes early, a grim expression on his face. It made him worry, considering the man was usually upbeat and happy. The look on his friend's face only made him feel worse.

"She's getting better," Dan speaks as he leads Peanut away from the door.

"That's good, right?" he asks, "She's supposed to get better so she can leave!"

"Yeah. Yeah, it's good," They stop in the lounge room, Dan sitting on the nearby couch. "I'm just worried about what's gonna happen. Out of every other kid here, she's the only one trying to get better."

"Then why are you looking so sad?" Peanut crosses his arms, a frown on his face. "What's goin' on between you two?"

"Vyv's paranoid, you know," he starts, "Doesn't like new people too much and doesn't like taking pills. Heh. She used to hide them when she first got here. Got away with it for a while, too, until I found out." He looks up at the teen. "Peanut, she got better when you started coming around so often. I think it made her feel good that someone gave a damn enough about her to show up. Until you came, no one asked for her. That's why it was a surprise."

"Not even her parents?" Dan shakes his head. It made him feel bad, and he wondered why she was so alone.

"She wouldn't tell us anything about where she came from," he explains, "San Paro. That was all we got out of her. We had to find out about everything else through the doctors, and even then we couldn't find a proper file about her."

"So, what? You said she was getting better. Is she hiding her pills again?" Once more, Dan shakes his head and Peanut's frown worsens.

"She started trying to be more social after you showed up," he continues, "I think she's finally getting used to everyone here, and having people like us – friendly and social to her – is helping her get better with everything. Thing is: I'm transferring to Florida in a couple days and I don't know who's gonna show up to take my place."

"You think she'll be all right?" There's a sigh and Dan just shrugs.

"Last time we had someone else try to care for her, she became unresponsive and even tried biting the guy," Peanut gives him a surprised look. He now feels lucky that she never acted out against him. "She's getting better, Larry, but she's still "damaged" and I dunno how she'll act when I'm gone." He stands up, resting a hand on his shoulder and giving him a small smile. "I'm trusting you to keep her sane, okay? No one else in this place gives a damn about the patients, but I do. And I know she's close to being helped."

"I'll uh… do my best," With that, Dan leads him to the exit, giving him one last thanks. He leaves the asylum feeling a bit down. He had gotten to know Dan over the few weeks he was going there, and with the stories Vyvyan had told him about the orderly, the man was always there for the patients. He wondered who would be replacing him.

Getting back onto campus didn't go so smoothly, either, seeing as Johnny was sitting on the bottom bleachers, phone in hand and an irritated look on his face. He knew exactly why he was there, too. He finally caught on and wanted to confront him about it first thing. Oh, he felt himself panic. And trying to sneak past his boss didn't go so well, either.

"And just _where_ do you think you're going, Larry?" He was in so much trouble. Slowly caving in on himself, Peanut gives his friend a slight smile.

"H-hey, Johnny," The senior stands up from his seat, towering over his friend with crossed arms and narrowed eyes. "What uh… what are you doing here?"

"Wonderin' why my second-in-command is skippin' class every day," he replies sternly, "So, what's the reason? You deciding to finally quit?"

"No, not exactly," Peanut chuckles nervously as he takes a few steps away from his friend. "Just ah… doing things, you know?"

"Such as?" He doesn't want to answer, but he shifts his eyes in the direction of the path he had taken to the asylum, and that's enough for the senior. "So you're throwin' your life away to go see some schizoid? Is that it?"

"Not really," Peanut takes a couple steps back, and Johnny sees it as an invitation to move closer. "I'm just going to visit a friend, you know? To help me and-"

"You're gonna fail your classes," he growls, "but all you care about is going off to see that girl. And for what? You're still getting nightmares, so it's obviously not helping!"

"Maybe I'm just stubborn like you!" he shoots back. He knows it's not wise to argue with his boss, but he doesn't want to hear him lecture. "You do things that don't make sense or aren't smart, but no one complains! I just wanna do this until I get better!"

"Don't get smart with me!" Johnny takes a threatening step forward and Peanut continues to move back. He can feel the anger from his friend and it's starting to worry him. "I'm just tryin' to look out for you, and what? You act like _I'm_ the bad person!"

"I know what I'm doing!" he tells him, finally turning his heels and starting to walk away. "Just leave me alone. I'll be fine."

He expects Johnny to follow him, but as he tries to calmly walk away, he notices that he can only hear his own footsteps. And he doesn't know if he should feel relieved, or fear for the future when he ran into his boss again.


	13. XII

**Hey! I know I've been gone for a while, but hopefully I'm finally pulling myself out of my rut and will be able to work on things a lot more. Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 **~XII~**

Getting back to his room, Peanut's relieved to find that he's alone. With how today's been, he doesn't want to hear Lefty's questions about where he's been or how his day's been going. He climbs into bed with audible sigh, kicking his shoes off and shrugging off his jacket in the process. His head hurts, along with his feelings. Of course he never liked fighting with Johnny. The two were so close and he hated making the senior mad. But that didn't mean Johnny needed to get so angry at him!

He lays there for a while, staring blankly at the comforter that's been pulled up to his chin. It's not Johnny's fault, he decides. He was just wanting what was best for him, and he understood that. Maybe he shouldn't have acted out so aggressively. However, as he went to reach for his phone, he stops. There's no way Johnny would want to hear from him after the little act he put on. No doubt he's still fuming to the rest of the clique, or even Lola.

Even thinking of that girl makes Peanut cringe. There was no denying he had tried getting Lola's attention a few times before. Of course, this all happened before he realized how Lola was. How she would throw herself at every guy who would have her and see what she could get away with. He didn't understand why Johnny stayed with her. He deserved so much better! Why couldn't he see that?

Before he has a chance to fully pull his hand away, his phone dings and his heart skips a beat, wondering if it's Johnny. Much to his dismay, though, it's only Lefty, informing him that he'd be spending the night with Vance. Well at least he didn't have to deal with the kid tonight. Tossing his phone to the side, he rolls over, snuggled under the covers. His mind wanders. Vyvyan's bright and cheery face whenever he shows up. Dan's usual upbeat and calm manner. The news of Dan transferring. The idea Vyvyan would falter and go back to being a hermit like before. The yelling of the other patients.

Thinking of the yelling actually caught his attention. The dorm was silent, for once. Surprisingly, it was almost louder than the usual fighting and yelling. He didn't like it. Sitting up and grabbing his phone, he plays music at a low volume. The old band, Stray Cat, makes him smile. Johnny had introduced him to this band back when they started hanging out. He remembered sitting in Johnny's room, both doing homework. There was one time Johnny had gotten up, grabbed Peanut's hand and the two started dancing. They never spoke of that night, and Peanut assumed Johnny either forgot, or just didn't want to admit he had danced so close to another guy. Whatever the case was, he loved that night. Especially to see his boss so happy and carefree.

Reaching down to retrieve his lighter and pack of cigarettes, he goes through the memories he's shared with Johnny. The times they'd sneak out of Johnny's home late at night, ran from the cops and joined the now graduated greasers at the tenements. Of course, Peanut always made sure to stay close to Johnny, always uncertain of being around the older teens. They always made him feel so insecure with their confidence and attitude. Of course Peanut had acquired some of that over the couple years, but he was still stuck on his height. Of course he had grown some since first meeting Johnny, but he still felt so small compared to the taller students, especially Norton.

Lighting up a cigarette, he pulls his ashtray closer to him, tapping the ends off as he continues to think. He lets his eyes close, inhaling the smoke as his mind wanders from Johnny, to the greasers, to Vyvyan. He smiles. Of course Peanut didn't really feel accepted home, especially with how his mother acted to his new friends. He wondered what she would say if she knew he was going to the asylum to talk to a girl.

With a soft chuckle, he flicks off the ashes, checking the time. It's only around 6:30 and there's still some daylight left. He doesn't like the silence that's still hanging around in the dorm. So finishing up his cigarette, he puts it out in the ashtray and stands up, slipping his feet back into his shoes and pulling on his jacket. He hurries out of the room, shoving his phone back into his pocket as his eye finally catches the darkest part of his room, giving him an uneasy feeling. No use in calling Johnny tonight. Not like the senior would reply, honestly. He was probably still mad at him.

Slamming his door shut as a sign he was done with his little "stalker" Peanut notices the pink colored shirt across the hall, jumping at his hostile actions. The freshman everyone had talked about for the first couple days then completely forgot about.

"Oh… hey..." he greets softly, guard on an all time high as he stares down at the younger teen. "Whatcha doin', hero?"

"Oh! I'm uh… nothing," He fumbles over his words and Peanut smiles. "I'm Pete. Pete Kowalski!"

"Larry Romano," he replies, shaking the hand that's been extended to him. "You're new 'round here, ain't ya?"

"Yeah, I am," Pete seems so flustered and unsure of himself. Almost like him when he arrived at Bullworth.

"Well, it's a dump," Peanut deadpans, turning to walk towards the exit. He turns back to look at Pete, biting his lip for a moment. "C'mon. Let's chat."

The boy perks up at this, practically running after the greaser, though he does his best to act cool. Peanut just chuckles as he pushes open the door, letting Pete out first and into the chilly night. The door shuts with a bang and Peanut realizes why there's anyone back at the dorm. He can hear the cheering and yelling from the football field, signaling a game is occurring. He didn't care for it, but Pete's little face seemed filled with wonder by the ongoing commotion.

"You wanna go check it out?" Peanut asks, catching his attention. Timidly, Pete nods his head, following the greaser to the field. Along the way, the two chat a bit, mainly Pete telling Peanut about his life. How he felt as though his parents looked at him as a bother and just dumped him at Bullworth to get rid of him. He honestly felt the same way. When his mother blew up at him for having his new friends. He didn't even like going home for the holidays, always hating that judging face of hers.

They get to the field in no time, Pete picking a seat for them at the very top. Not many people paid them any mind, too enticed in the ongoing game. Of course there were girls screaming Ted's name, cheering him on. Peanut just rolls his eyes, smiling as the other team scores another touchdown. Bullworth didn't have the best football team, he had to admit. But he supposed they tried. And looking at little Pete, seeing him so interested in the game, was kind of worth it. At least it got him out of that damn room. However, Pete finally looks up at him.

"Why aren't you with the other greasers?" he asks. Peanut just stares at him, not fully understanding. Wasn't it obvious they just weren't around? "I mean, instead of being with your friends, you're spending time with me. It's kinda strange…"

"Oh! Well, I just didn't feel like finding them," he tells him softly, pulling his phone out of his pocket and looking at it. No new messages. "Besides, I usually really hang out with Johnny, but… you know."

"Oh, yeah," Pete smiles slightly and the greaser cranes his neck to look at him fully, wondering what's so funny. "People have been saying stuff about this Peanut guy having a thing for him. Like he's in love with him."

His face goes red as his balls his hands into fists. He bet it was those bullies that hung around the parking lot so much. He'd throttle them the next time he saw them. Though, he supposed it was how he was always mentioning his boss. But was it bad to have a best friend you admired?!

"Johnny's my best friend!" he shoots back, surprising Pete. "I don't have a "thing" for him!"

" _I-I_ didn't say that!" he squeaks, curling in on himself. "It was some bully saying it! Davis, I think!"

Of course it'd be Davis. Always trying to show off. But Pete was right, it really wasn't him that was saying those things. It just something he had heard. So with a sigh, Peanut forces himself to relax, his face still red as he glares at the football game going on. After a bit, he nods.

"Well then, _he's_ gonna have some explaining to do," he grumbles. Pete's expression turns to remorseful, no doubt because he just got someone in trouble, but Peanut just smiles. He reaches out, patting his shoulder. "Can't have liars at Bullworth, now can we, hero?"

"I guess not..." he replies softly. They sit there for the rest of the game, Peanut going over all the cliques and most of the students at Bullworth. He gives him tips on surviving the academy, mainly to just stay away from people until he got a group of his own. He would've offered for the kid to come around the shop, but he knew that'd be a bad idea. Some coward hanging with greasers? No way. Not until he had gained at _least_ an ounce of confidence in himself. Johnny probably wouldn't have it anyways.

Johnny. He frowns thinking about his boss. He supposed he'd apologize when he got back to his room. He shouldn't have snapped like that. But for the moment, he feels at least content. Pete, as awkward and quiet as he is, provided some entertainment. Enough to at least get his mind off of everything. And Mandy jumping around helped a little as well. As bitchy as she was, Peanut did find her attractive, as did most of the school. But as the game ended, with Bullworth of course losing, Peanut slowly guided Pete down the stairs, making sure he wouldn't trip or have someone push him. The kid looked so frail, he was scared a strong wind would knock him off his feet. But, he seemed grateful anytime Peanut would look back and check on him.

They hurry away from the crowd of students and parents, Peanut grabbed Pete's sleeve and practically dragging him away from everyone. He would've liked to stay out longer, but with how much Pete was yawning he figured it was time to go back. And face the possible wrath of Johnny after he sent his apology text. It wasn't exactly something he was looking forward to, but he had classes with his boss anyways the next day. Might as well try to ease the tension some.

"Thanks, Larry," Pete finally says as they get back into the dorm. "Or uh… do you prefer Peanut?"

"Call me Peanut, and you're dead," he replies. The freshman looks at him in complete fear and he laughs. "I'm jokin'. I don't like the name, but it's stuck you know?"

"Y-yeah. I guess," Rubbing the back of his neck, Pete opens his door to his room, giving him one last timid smile. "Goodnight!"

"Night, hero," With that Peanut enters his room, shutting his door more gently this time. The shadow's gone from the corner and he can't see it, so his nerves are set to ease. On that note, at least. He sits on the edge of his bed, pulling out his phone and staring at it. He feels sick as he thinks about the possible outcomes of texting Johnny so soon, but he can't risk the hate he'd receive tomorrow if he didn't try to make things right.

 _Peanut: hey. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. I shouldn't have snapped like that. I know you're only trying to help and I shouldn't be doing those things. See you tomorrow?_

He's hesitant to hit send, but he forces himself to after rereading it multiple times. As he suspected, he doesn't hear back right away. Or after five minutes, for that matter. He just sighs softly, putting his phone down and laying in bed. He's probably busy. Or just doesn't wanna hear from him. The second thought hurts him, actually. To think Johnny wouldn't want anything to do with him hurt his feelings. They were so close, he would hate if some stupid argument ruined their friendship. But he jumps when his phone goes off, and his heart skips a beat when he sees Johnny's name pop up.

 _Johnny: it's whatever. I get it_

 _Johnny: think you could come over?_

 _Peanut: sure! Omw_

He's excited as he sits up, stuffing his phone into his pocket and grabbing his backpack. He's out of his room within minutes, listening to the prefects he pass telling him to be back before curfew. Of course he ignores them like always. Even if he was coming back, they wouldn't be seeing him anyways. But as he walked his way to Johnny's house, he noticed how the house had no lights on, except for Johnny's room. That wasn't normal, considering Mrs. Vincent usually stayed up pretty late. Maybe she decided to turn in early?

"Johnny! I'm here!" Peanut shouts, knocking on the front door. He stands there for a bit, looking around. No one's out and everything's quiet and peaceful. But when he sees his friend open the door, the peaceful feeling disappears. "You alright?"

"Come on in," he says softly. Peanut obeys, shutting and locking the door behind him. It's so quiet and everything except the hall light is off.

"Is your mom already asleep?" he asks. There's no reply for a while, until they enter Johnny's room.

"Mom and dad got into a fight earlier," he grumbles, sitting on his bed. "Cops got involved and the rest's history."

"Johnny..." Peanut took a seat next to him. It wasn't a secret that Johnny's parents got into fights regularly, and sometimes it would escalate to them screaming at each other or even physical. It's why he was never surprised about his friend's short temper and hostile nature. Of course Mrs. Vincent was always an angel to Johnny and the friends he brought around, but it was a different story when Mr. Vincent was around.

"Cops just finally got tired of coming around for fights, I guess," Johnny mumbles, "Plus I guess they found some stuff on my mom. Norton's dad is gonna try to sort everything out, but we'll see."

He couldn't even believe it. He felt so bad. Giving Johnny stress when he already had things going on at home. He wanted to apologize over and over, but before he could, his friend continued.

"I didn't mean to get so upset earlier," he tells him, "I was just mad at everything, and to see you hadn't been going to class kinda sent me over the edge. I'm sorry."

"Johnny, it's fine," He gives his friend a smile, going to rest his hand on his leg. "I shouldn't have been so stubborn. Or yelled at you."

It comes as a surprise, but Johnny wraps his arms around Peanut, pulling him into a tight embrace. He's hesitant but finally hugs him back, head rested on his shoulder as his hands softly grip the familiar leather jacket. They stay that way for a bit, the leader squeezing him just a bit.

"Let's just stay home tomorrow," Johnny finally suggests, "I don't really feel like goin' to school, and I don't wanna be alone."

"Whatever you want, Johnny!" He's excited to spend the day with his friend, especially since he didn't have to worry about classes. And as they turn on the TV and start up a movie, Johnny gives Peanut a small smile.

"Thanks for always bein' here, Larry."


	14. XIII

**XIII**

They spend the night watching different types of movies. From classics to horror to even comedy. And of course by the time they go to bed it's already morning, the sun peaking over the mountains. Peanut's curled under the blankets, cuddling a small, balled up portion. He mumbles in his sleep softly, dreaming of when he first had auto shop classes, seated next to Johnny and a senior, Matt, feeling so small compared to the two teens.

Johnny, however, stayed awake for a bit longer after Peanut had gone to bed, staring at the junior. He was the only one who ever truly listened to him, understood his problems and tried to help, no matter if he wanted to hear it or not. The other greasers would only listen and tell him what he wanted to hear. Especially Lola. Maybe that's why he always felt closer to Peanut than anyone else. Or why he always confided in him with his deepest, darkest secrets.

By the time both teens wake up, it's past the afternoon and becoming evening, Peanut having woken up first and taken his morning shower. And once Johnny's up and done the same, they head out of Johnny's home, walking towards the tenements. With how late it is, the others should be in class, leaving the old building to them. And as they walk up the old, decaying stairs, a thought passes through Johnny's mind. He waits until Peanut's picked up and opened a bag of chips, both sitting on the ground, leaning against a wall.

"So what's amazing about this Vyvyan girl, anyways?" Johnny finally asks, watching his friend practically choke on his chips. "I mean, you seem to obsess over her so much. What's so great?"

"I-I'm not obsessed with her," he replies, letting out a few coughs before clearing his throat. "She's just a friend goin' through the same thing I am."

"Is that it?" he chuckles, watching Peanut avoid his gaze. He knew how easily attached the teen could get to people, especially girls he found attractive. Then again, maybe Peanut was telling the truth. Maybe the girl was what he needed. "You uh… think maybe I could meet her?"

"Who? Vyvyan?" Johnny rolls his eyes with a smile on his face.

"Yes, Vyvyan," he replies. Peanut shifts in his seat a bit, thinking it over a bit. Before long, he's matching Johnny's smile and nodding his head.

"Sure!" He seems to be more excited now, and it eases the worry that was building up in Johnny. He takes out his phone, looking at the time. It's almost 3p.m. and he's not exactly sure when the meetings end, but he's guessing they still have a couple hours. Peanut, however, is already standing up and dusting his pants off, crumpling up his empty bag of chips and throwing it in the corner. He seems ready to go. Johnny takes his time getting up, wondering what he's gotten himself into.

Peanut's practically running ahead of him while they walk down the old, dimly lit tunnel. He admires the pathway as they walk, thoughts of Vyvyan in his mind. He wonders what she'll be like, look like, anything. Peanut never spoke of her too much when he returns from his visits, especially not to the other greasers. But as they make it to the entrance, the junior finally turns to Johnny.

"She's kinda shy at first," he tells him softly. He just chuckles and nods. Whatever he says, he figures. She shouldn't be too shy if she opened up to Peanut. And as they enter the building, he watches Peanut sign in. A large man with a goatee and tattoos stroll through the double doors in front of them. He smiles at Peanut, but it falls when he notices Johnny.

"You here for someone?" he questions, almost in surprise.

"I'm with him," he motions to Peanut, who's finishing signing in and gives a smile to the orderly standing before them.

"Hey, Dan! This is my friend, Johnny," he tells him, "Is it okay if he comes with me to see Vyv?"

"Uh… yeah! Totally!" He leads them throughout the asylum until they get to a small door leading to a room. Johnny couldn't handle the yelling from the other patients in there. He couldn't imagine being locked away in this dump. Dan opens the door, poking his head inside.

"Vyv. Larry's here, and he's brought a friend," He looks back at the two, eyeing Johnny before stepping to the side. He doesn't like the look from the orderly, but Peanut practically drags him inside before he can start any sort of arguments. The room is depressing and dark, and the patient, Vyvyan, is sitting on the bed. She looks skinny, her hair tangled and unkempt. He's not surprised, though. He's almost tempted to give her his comb, though. He couldn't ever think of having his hair so messy. Of course, he wasn't as obsessed with it as Vance was, but he couldn't ever have it too out of place.

"Hey, Vyv," Peanut takes a seat on the bed by the girl, who lights up at the sight of him. "This is my friend, Johnny. The one I told you about?"

"You've talked about me?" Johnny chuckles, and Peanut completely falters. He seems flustered as he tries to get something out. It's amusing, to say the least.

"Leader of the greasers?" comes a soft voice. He's almost surprised to hear the girl speak. "Yeah, Larry talks about you a lot. You seem pretty cool."

"Heh, thanks, kid," He flashes her a smile, though it's so weird to hear someone use Peanut's first name. Then again, he never did seem fond of it, so it didn't surprise him too much he would ask her to call him something else.

"You can sit, if you want," she tells him, gesturing her head to the spot that's left on the bed. It's not too big, but it's something. "I know it probably doesn't look the greatest, but you won't catch anything from it."

He chuckles at this, going to take a seat by Peanut. The three talk, even though Johnny mainly just sits there listening to them. Vyvyan interacts with Peanut so normally that the senior has to keep reminding himself she's a schizoid. But it's good to see his friend so happy, especially with what's been going on lately. He knew he could never share the same terror as his friend, but he wasn't exactly sure he wanted him getting it from someone in the asylum, no matter how normal Vyvyan acted.

They're there for a couple hours, and though he doesn't want to admit it, Johnny was slowly coming around to the patient. She was respectful and nice to both, and didn't lash out once. He remembered what they put down on her document, but he couldn't see that. Sure, she was a little shy whenever Johnny would ask her something, but he was sure she wasn't exactly the social type, especially if she had to be around so many weirdos all day. He notices how close she sits to Peanut, though. How she perks up anytime he speaks to her and how much she laughs at whatever stupid jokes or stories he tells. It reminds him of how Lola first started getting feelings for him and he smiles. Maybe he was too hard on him yesterday. It was obvious the two were close, and the time he spent with her meant a lot. Maybe it would even help her mentally.

Before they know it, Dan's opening the door and giving them a smile.

"I see you're having fun," he speaks, keeping his gaze on Vyvyan. "I'm glad! But, unfortunately, visiting hours are over and it's time for your meds."

"Oh… alright," The girl seems upset by this, but looks to Peanut. It's apparent this is somewhat of a routine as the junior just gives her a reassuring smile.

"I'll be back tomorrow," he tells her. This brings out her own smile and the two get up to leave, following Dan away from the door after he shuts the door.

"What'd you think of her?" he asks, looking back at Johnny. "I know she's not too much, but she's nice once you get to know her."

"She's okay," he replies. The man nods his head.

"She actually talked to Johnny quite a bit," Peanut chimes in. Dan looks at him, a surprised smile on his face. "I think her social skills are getting better!"

"Ha! Finally!" he cheers, "God, I'm glad I could see more improvement in her before I leave."

"You're leaving?" Dan once more nods, stopping at the exit.

"Yep. Moving to Florida, and someone's gonna be taking my place," he tells him, "Hoping they don't ruin the progress we've made with the patients."

It's almost a shock to Johnny. Normally people who move to Bullworth never leave, at least the older adults, and Dan didn't look anywhere near his early twenties. But they leave the asylum, Peanut signing out and saying goodbye to everyone they pass. They seem to know him and it's not too surprising. The damn kid did miss a lot of afternoon classes to go see her. They probably asked why he wasn't in school when he came around. That bit still did upset him, to be honest. He hated the fact that Peanut missed so many classes just to go see someone.

On the way back through the tunnels, Peanut fills him in on Vyvyan a lot more. How she acted when they first met and the progress she's made. He tells him stories they've shared between each other, and he gives more information on Dan. Johnny just smiles. He seems so excited about all of this. It's good to see him happy. It's good he has someone else to confide in about his problems. And while he's on some tangent about a story Vyvyan's told him, a thought pops into his head. Right. He had gotten Peanut something and had completely forgotten all about it with everything that had gone on over the past few days.

"Let's go back home real quick," Johnny speaks, catching his friend's attention. He gives him a quizzical look, but ultimately nods his head. They take the long way home, making sure to avoid the auto shop as they cross through Bullworth to avoid any questions as to why both of them had skipped class.

It's quiet as they walk down the street towards Johnny's home. The creaking of his front door opening makes him frown, the silence still new to him rather than his mother singing or doing any household chores. Peanut follows him closely behind, still wondering why Johnny had wanted to come home and skip their classes. Thoughts dance around his head, but he knows that his boss is always unpredictable. Still, it was odd. And when Johnny goes rummaging through his nightstand, he finally sees what he's after. A little herb bound together by rubber bands. He cocks his head at it.

"And uh… what's that?" Peanut asks. Johnny just smiles, walking over and handing the grayish green plant to him.

"Sage," he replies nonchalantly, "It's supposed to give you good dreams, so I figured..."

Peanut takes the sage into his hands, the scent wafting up and making him smile. Good dreams from such a little plant? It was a sweet thought, but he doubted it. Though, he was grateful that Johnny was trying. Neither of them were experts on this, but it was a sweet gesture.

"Thanks, Johnny."


End file.
